Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows
by FlygonNick
Summary: Past, present, and future collide in this latest installment of the Apocalypse Trilogy! As the Original Crew combat their way through legions of zombies to stop Samantha's rampage, they are joined by a new crew of heroes. But with a magical jester on the prowl and the Shadow Man initiating his master plan…What will they lose before all is said and done?
1. Accept Your Fate

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

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 _GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING SPORTS FANS!_

 _Just kidding. This has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with sports._

 _So. For those just joining us, this is a zombie story. What kind of zombie story? Why the best kind of course, because it concerns the Call of Duty zombies mode. However, it is a prequel-sequel to another story on my profile, "Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead."_

 _However, if you haven't read that story, don't fret, because this story takes place before that one and can be read before it without losing any of the plot or having anything too crazy spoiled._

 _SO NEW READERS ARE WELCOMED. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE CREW!_

 _Now, for my returning readers, this story has been in development for about 3 months or so. Much shorter than my usual, but hey, I've done crazier things. Also, this story will be in shorter chunks than DOTD was, and focus heavily on Black Ops I and Black Ops III, as opposed to the first story, which focused on Black Ops I and Black Ops II. If you've read DOTD, then you'll be happy with some of the links between the two stories that become apparent over time._

 _Update schedule is completely up in the air. My time fluctuates with every week, so we'll see. It'll never get any worse than two months, but I could be doing weekly updates for all I know. I know I won't leave you guys hanging like other writers do, especially in the COD section._

 _Now, for those interested in my other works, I have a completed Jak and Daxter story called, "Jak IV: The Avenging Angels" that you can check out, as well as a Pokémon fanfic called "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guardians of Life and Destruction" that is ongoing now. If you're a longtime reader of mine and you like Pokémon, I highly recommend and would appreciate any feedback on that fic, as its still development and at this point in the story when feedback is most important. Any new reviewers from this story that review my Pokémon Mystery Dungeon fic will get a special shoutout from me for their feedback._

 _Or if none of that works for you, you can check out some collaborative works with the Freelancer Collaboration. I write specifically for the sequel of our big Red vs. Blue fanfic "Phase Two: Betrayal" as the writer of Agent Indiana and Agent Minnesota. Please check our other works and show your support for a team of amazing writers._

 _Anyway, without further ado and shameless plugging, let's start this three or four year-long journey of awesomeness! This story contains blood, gore, loads of naughty language and insane amounts of awesome! No talking Chuck Norris statues, but hey, you can't win em' all._

 _Enjoy._

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 _Chapter 1: Accept Your Fate_

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" _What's meant to be will always find a way"_ ― Trisha Yearwood.

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 _Location:_

 _Lower Silesia: Near Breslau, Germany_

 _Waffenfabrik Der Reise_ :

* * *

A bitterly cold wind blew across the secret Nazi facility, sending with it a hint of snow to come later in the night. Moonlight illuminated the factory compound below, where hundreds of mutilated and decayed corpses lay on the ground with bullets in their bodies. A massive machine rested in the heart of Der Reise, sparking and humming at the top of a ramp as wires ran from it to the rest of the building like veins. The building itself was utterly ravaged, a rotting metal skeleton of what it used to be. A facility that housed some of the world's greatest minds, all united under one noble goal.

To improve the human condition.

Gunshots rang out from four separate sources as the moon loomed overhead, providing most of the light for the incredible battle taking place down below.

A blond-haired man with blue eyes suddenly burst out from the building, a wild look on his face as undead Nazi's leapt at him with murder in their glowing yellow eyes. The man swiftly sidestepped the horde and jumped back before taking aim and pulling the trigger of the gun in his hands.

"Who's ready to die?!" Dempsey bellowed as he unloaded his Lamentation into the hordes of the undead raging around him, blasting apart the minions of Samantha with ease. The marine swiftly ducked as a zombie swiped at him, only for it to be decapitated by the legendary soldier's bowie knife, the knife's deadly kiss slicing through flesh and bone with ease. Dempsey turned around and blew apart four Nazi zombies sprinting at him before reloading, jamming the fresh clip home with a practiced movement. Dempsey exhaled the pent up breath he had been holding before releasing it, a wide grin on his face.

"God I live this job…well, it's not a job, but you know what I mean." Dempsey chuckled to himself as he glanced around for any signs of the undead.

"Die! Die at the hands of Nikolai!" Dempsey heard his ally yell from somewhere above him as the sounds of a shotgun rang out. The marine smirked to himself as he moved through the facility, casually shooting apart whatever came his way. They had held out for every 25 rounds now, and it was dying down once more. He walked up a barely standing metal staircase and caught sight of a Japanese warrior being chased by a horde of the undead from across the metal walkway ahead. The Japanese man then spun on his heel, pulling out a strange-looking gun that he held out before him.

"Death before dishonor!" Takeo cried as he blasted apart the undead with his Porter's X2 Ray Gun, crimson bursts of energy rending apart the zombies chasing him, causing charred carrion to fill the hallway in front of him. The samurai's teeth were bared in a ferocious snarl as he suddenly whirled around and decapitated a zombie with his trusty katana, blood spattering the metal wall behind him. He then spotted his American ally walking towards him from behind and lowered his blade, relaxing slightly at the sight of the friendly face.

"Not bad Tak," Dempsey said appreciatively as he walked by the samurai, clapping him on the shoulder with a small smile as Takeo sheathed his sword.

"Hmph. Where is the Doctor?" Takeo murmured, glancing around. Dempsey opened his mouth to speak before he heard the sound of rushing air, like a storm rushing through the factory. Takeo wordlessly pointed behind Dempsey, who turned around in time to see a massive bright green light slowly fade away from one of the areas of Der Reise they hadn't gotten to exploring yet.

"The hell was that?" Dempsey wondered aloud as he began walking towards the light, starring at it with awe. It gave him a horrible feeling…more so than everything else that had happened already.

"A phenomenon ve should not bother ourselves with, Dempshey. Zhere is too much to do," came a voice from the shadows. The marine scowled as a man in a Nazi uniform stepped out from the shadows, a dark smile on his face as his electric-blue eyes twinkled with malice. In his hands was an Afterburner, a Pack-A-Punched version of the standard MP40.

"Oh really?" Dempsey said as he took a step forward, his tone challenging. Richtofen chuckled lightly before he aimed his gun at Dempsey and fired, causing the marine to move to the side with a swear. The bullet soared through the air and went through the eye socket of a nearby zombie, downing it and sending it to the ground.

"Yes. Really. Now, let us get out of zhis cursed place and put a stop to zhis madness, once and for all," Richtofen said as he brushed past the trio of soldiers and made his way down the stairway. Dempsey scowled as he looked back towards the source of the green light, but it was already fading away.

"What the hell could that be?" Dempsey muttered as Takeo stepped up by him, watching Richtofen with a trained eye.

"I feel…uneasy. Such evil plagues this place," Takeo murmured as he put a hand on his sword. Both men then looked up as they saw the fourth member of their group stumble across the walkway ahead of them with a smirk on his face.

"Eh, don't worry about it guys. Let's just get out of here! I'm nearly out of vodka," Nikolai remarked as he made his way across the bridge, taking a sip out of his flask of vodka. How he kept finding more of the stuff, Dempsey could never quite figure out. Part of him wanted to ask the Russian for a drink, but he knew he needed to keep a clear head. Richtofen then spoke up, breaking the marine out of his musing.

"I must reacquire a weapon from this place. From there, we can move forward." Richtofen explained as he walked towards the Mystery Box down below them next to the Mule Kick machine, placing his hand on it as the rest of the group followed him. The box flew open and began cycling through weapons, eventually landing on the Python, which Richtofen took with a snarl as he replaced the empty Dragonuv he had on his back.

"Worthless! I assume zhis was your doing, vasn't it you little brat?!" Richtofen snarled as he stuffed the pistol in a holster on his hip.

"Blah, blah, blah. Quit your bitchin'." Dempsey remarked as Richtofen shot him a glare. The German then casually turned around and emptied the entire chamber of the Python into a zombie sprinting towards the three of them from behind, causing it to crash onto the ground lifelessly as the yellow light faded from its eyes.

"Well, that's another round. So, any ideas?" Dempsey asked Richtofen, who smiled widely and wordlessly walked back to the box.

"Ah, mein foolish American. We must acquire a special little toy I helped develop, back before all of zhis began. Keep the undead at bay, vill you?" Richtofen said as he rolled on the box again.

(Round 26)

"Alright boys! Hold down this room! Nikolai, guard the upper room and keep them from coming down the stairs. Me and Tak will hold the front and the side windows! Don't give these flesh sores a single fucking inch." Dempsey said as he shouldered his Lamentation, grinning at the thought of more bloodshed. The very thought of it made him feel so alive! Like his body depended on the death of the undead that would come their way.

Takeo and Nikolai nodded and took their positions, all the while Richtofen stood near the Mystery Box, muttering to himself. Dempsey ignored him, though, and focused on the zombies that were now making their way down towards them. Dempsey smirked and pulled the trigger, tearing through the undead with ease as his Lamentation ripped through the zombie's faces. Takeo added his own special dose of death to the equation, blasting apart the undead with his Porter's X2 Ray Gun by shooting at the legs of the beasts while Dempsey aimed for the heads of the limbless zombies on the floor.

Nikolai grinned widely as he held out his Gut Shot, the Pack-A-Punched version of the M1897 Trench Gun, and took aim before firing twice at two zombies rushing towards him from the metal bridge. The first shot missed completely, but the second shot destroyed one of the zombie's faces entirely while ripping away the other's arm and most of its shoulders. Another shot ended its un-life.

Nikolai chuckled as a nearby zombie tried to tear apart the barrier next to him, only for a massive bowie knife to get jammed into its face by the drunk Russian. He reached through the barrier and pulled out the knife, brandishing it with a wide grin on his face.

"Ah, you like my big knife? Is very impressive, don't you think?" Nikolai laughed to himself, taking a moment to reload while he could as more undead made their way towards his position. The Soviet then took aim and began picking apart the undead with a smirk on his face, as if these foes were beneath the mighty Russian soldier.

Meanwhile, Richtofen had rolled the box for a third time, shaking his head as it closed down again and the Famas vanished from sight.

"Ack. No…No…" Richtofen rolled on the box a fourth time, and smiled upon seeing a familiar and welcome sight. "Ooh, a Monkey? I vill be taking zhat!" Richtofen said with a laugh, grabbing the cluster of Monkey Bombs from the Mystery Box. He cast a look behind him and saw his comrades holding their own against the undead hordes, but it was obvious they couldn't hold this position forever. Richtofen rolled once more, his eyes intently focused on the Mystery Box. It then stopped its rotation on the one weapon Richtofen needed more than any other.

"Ah…YES! Wunderbar!" Richtofen breathed with delight as he held the Wunderwaffe-DG2 in his hands, cradling it like a newborn child. He then spun around and grinned sadistically, pulling the trigger and letting loose an arc of bright blue lightning that soared past Dempsey and Takeo struck the horde rushing at the group. The zombies stiffened up with cries of fury before collapsing onto the ground. Dempsey looked back at Richtofen, raising an eyebrow.

"…You wanna warn a guy the next time you do something like that?"

"Ah, mein Dempshey. I could, but vare would be the fun in zhat!?" Richtofen giggled as he pulled out a Monkey Bomb, winding up the device for a moment. Richtofen then saw the monkey's hat was askew, so he carefully adjusted it before hurling the bomb across the room. As it began making noises and jumping around, the undead crowded around it, unaware that this was a trick.

"Run! Make your way back to the MTD! With the Wunderwaffe in my hands, we can escape!" Richtofen yelled to his allies, who both nodded and ran up the nearby staircase. Richtofen grinned as the explosive monkey went off, damaging the undead around it but not downing any of them. Every single one of the zombies turned towards Richtofen, whose grin widened sadistically as he pulled the trigger of his newest gun, sending a blast of lightning forward and tearing through the undead horde in front of him. Richtofen began walking towards the exit and made his way to the teleporter, his grin horrifically wide as he made his way to the ramp.

"Hahahahaha! YES! Fall my minions! Fall before my might!" Richtofen cackled with murderous glee, the voices in his head roaring in triumph as he let loose another blast of lightning and killed a swath of Samantha's little toys. The bolt enveloped the undead and sent them to hell as Richtofen quickly reloaded the gun and began frantically making adjustments on the small console next to the MDT.

"Zhere! Zhat should do it!" Richtofen said as he aimed downward, pressing the Wunderwaffe-DG2 against the teleporter pad itself and firing three times. As he did this, three soldiers burst out of the factory and split off, gunning down the undead around them.

"Hey! I hope you-Woah." Dempsey said in surprise as he watched the teleporter next to Richtofen start sparking and whirring loudly, causing him to flinch at the noise as the device was overloaded with power.

"HURRY! WE NEED TO GO!" Richtofen bellowed as he began firing his Python at two nearby undead, blowing their brains out and sending them stumbling backwards down the stairs. Takeo swiftly dismembered his way to the device and began firing his Porter's X2 Ray Gun, a fierce expression on his face. Nikolai joined him a moment later, frantically shooting at the undead as they tried to climb onto the ramp. Dempsey sprinted down the path and leapt upwards, grabbing onto Takeo's hand as he pulled him up to the others.

"For fuck's sake, Richtofen, PUNCH IT!" Dempsey bellowed as he stepped onto the teleporter, frantically shooting anything that moved. Richtofen grinned horribly as he hit the button, causing the device to light up as the machine whirred and groaned further. The group was then engulfed in a ball of lightning as they were whisked away from the secret Nazi facility and transported elsewhere. The zombies stopped in their tracks, looking around for the sources of life that they had been tracking down before resuming their mindless wandering. A scream of fury echoed through the abandoned factory as Samantha lamented not getting her revenge on the ones who had caused her so much suffering.

* * *

Location: Unknown

* * *

The group's first impression of their new environment was of dust filling their lungs as they appeared in an old foyer of sorts. Two massive staircases led to an upper part of the building, but it was run down and hadn't be inhabited in years from the look of it. Broken furniture was thrown about the foyer and sunlight streamed in from the holes in the ceiling with Nazi symbols in plain view.

"Is everyone alright?" Dempsey asked the others.

"…Yes." Came a whisper from Takeo, gripping his katana as his eyes darted around their new surroundings.

"I…need a drink." Nikolai groaned, shaking his head and bracing himself against the staircase railing.

"Ja, I am fine. I also recognize zhis place, I think. It vas years ago though…how odd that it took us here," Richtofen murmured as he gazed around the room.

"Really? You've been here before?" Dempsey asked, curious.

"Yes…But that is of no consequence. We are here, and have a short reprieve before the undead arrive. As zhey should. What is interesting is that we have just achieved time travel." Richtofen remarked, sounding amused.

"We have traversed the rivers of time? What…what are you?" Takeo said quietly, starring at Richtofen in horror. This defied everything he knew. Despite the incredible things they have already gone through, the concept of time travel baffled Takeo. It went against nature, against everything that he thought was possible.

"A very smart man, but also kind of a dick," Nikolai chuckled, laughing at his own joke.

"Hmph. Say vhat you would like, it is a feat of which I vill take pride in once we take control of zhee undead away from zhat little brat." Richtofen said quietly before he stiffened up and his eyes darted around the room.

"Vait! Do you hear zhat?" Richtofen asked as he held up a hand. The other three soldiers listened closely as the sound of rushing wind filled the building, followed by several yells of terror that sounded nothing like the cries of the zombies…but rather regular human beings, just through the door ahead of them. Words were being exchanged, but not audible enough to tell what was being said.

"It vould seem…vee are not alone in here." Richtofen hissed as he glanced around the room.

"Well I'll be…Think they're friendly?" Dempsey asked the Doctor, who scowled. He walked over to the nearby bar area and reached into an open box, finding four M1911's and several clips of ammo. Guns and ammo were quickly distributed, and the crew was ready to kill once again. Nikolai walked over to the small area by the bar and found plenty of alcohol stashed away, so he stocked up on that as well.

"I vill not vait to find out." Richtofen said in answer to Dempsey's question as he strode towards the door. He stopped as he reached it, looking it up and down before he swore in German.

"Locked. We need to get zhee power on first…" Richtofen said as he walked over to his allies, shaking his head in disgust.

"With power and light, all secrets shall be revealed." Takeo murmured before he turned to his left, hearing a familiar snarl. A rotting zombie with bright yellow eyes and fired four shots to a zombie that was clawing at one of the wooden barricades. The zombie groaned before it fell to the ground, blood gushing from its head as it collapsed onto the ground.

"Well…Back to the old grind, eh?" Nikolai said with a small smile as the four soldiers took a barricade each. Samantha's foul presence could be felt over the strange building they were in. Her strange powers that made this feel like a mere game…

Out of the corner of their eyes, three 500's and a 630 popped up, showing the points they had for the moment. It was time to get back to business.

Richtofen, however, was oddly grim. This wasn't how things were supposed to work. Humans, actual people, here? That made no sense at all. He would have to be extra careful from here on out. He had to get back to Griffin Station and set things straight…the odds were against him…

Though…

The Nazi cast his gaze upwards and smiled as he saw a faint yet familiar glow of green light that faded a few moments later. No...All of this was just a minor setback. He would succeed…or rather, _they_ would succeed. He had his trump card, after all. A friend lurking just around the corner, to ensure his success.

As the four soldiers began to fight against the undead once more, a figure stepped out from the shadows, smiling down at the group of four. He was dressed in a strange armor of sorts, a black leather ensemble with a dark red cloak draped around his shoulders, wearing pointed boots similar to a jester. His short brown hair and bright green eyes gleamed with excitement as green sparks crackled around his fingers.

"Well…All the pieces are in place. All I have to do is make sure everything goes according to plan…what fun!" the jester laughed quietly before he vanished in a series of green sparks, leaving the four soldiers to battle the hordes of undead.

* * *

… _I have been watching._

 _I have watched this little scene unfold as you and your friends have been thrust into a world you hardly understand. You and your companions are not the first pawns I've seen become knights, and you will hardly be the last. All so feeble…yet capable of so much more._

 _What say you? Will you succumb to the undead plague? Will you fight to save what's left? Or will you serve me?_

 _Good…Then we shall proceed. To that end, you have been marked…that symbol burned into your skin serves as a testament to your devotion to me. You will become my special little helper. So feeble, yet not so much anymore, are you?_

 _You and your friends will be instrumental in my plan. For now, just travel the path set for you. Join the heroes you find, and walk down this road of carnage. Fight hard, aim true, and survive. In time, all will be clear, my friend. While others may try to interfere in my plot, just know that together, the two of us will become the heralds of change. We will stand at the gates of oblivion, and destroy all of those who oppose us._

 _The man with the voices in his head…shall attempt to sway your hand to his cause._

 _The jester…shall attempt to keep the course set._

 _And the monster…will attempt to stop me himself, in the guise of a fair maiden._

 _So take my hand. Let me show you the way. This splendid path of darkness that we will make together…_

 _Only through me, the Shadow Man, will you find your salvation._


	2. Showtime

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Howdy folks, time for another chapter of Shifting Shadows!_

 _Now, I should clear up a few very important points with this story._

 _One, the Bradburn Crew from the first are not the focus of this story. This story features a new crew, who I have dubbed the Knight Crew, who are all OC'S of mine. They're not actually based on anyone I know, unlike the first story. Yeah, its a shame, but there's a few reasons for this, one of which is that it doesn't work for this story at all, for reasons that will be clear come the end of the story._

 _That said, this story will absolutely feature some familiar faces, one of which you've already seen. There will be cameos here and there, but for the most part will center around a core group like last time._

 _Also, to update you all on something I mentioned in both of my previous stories, I am still interested in joining the Air Force. However, this past year has been really rough with my family and I've had to put that on hold for a while. However, I've begun the process of getting what I need to get done done, and I'll update you all further when I officially get signed up._

 _Also, in zombies news, the first glimpse of the new map has been revealed. Looks interesting, as I got a Call of the Dead and Shi No Numa vibe from what I saw, but its absolutely a sign that this next map will revolve around Takeo's character for sure, thanks to some hints found on the Giant and Shadows of Evil that have helped shed some light on what we can expect. I'm hyped!_

 _Anyway, s_ _hotuout to those who reviewed the first chapter, which included four new reviewers (at the time of finishing Book 1), known as TheCrazyFrenchMen, Zhespy, BlestComet75, and a guest reviewer known as the nerfanator. Thanks for the support!_

 _Time to say hello to the other half of our heroes!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Chapter 2: Showtime_

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" _The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."_ \- Lao Tzu.

* * *

 _Time: 11: 34 PM. November 4_ _th_ _, 2011._

 _Location: Atlantic Ocean, on-board the U.S.S. Majesty._

* * *

"Greetings, fellow assholes!"

"Amy…Really?"

"Alright ladies, calm down. At least the connection is stable. Skype seems to be running fine, for now… The Bright House customer support line has to be run by a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or something for how long it takes them to get to you."

"…OK…And I'm here too. Alright, let's get this party started, folks."

"What party, Simon? It's the dead of night, man."

Simon leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair for a moment before saying, "Figure of speech, James."

James popped onto Simon's computer screen, giving him a look. One of his old buddies from high school, James was definitely the intimidating sort. Standing at six and a half feet tall, the dark-skinned man with dark blue eyes and short black hair was someone who stuck out in a crowd that was for sure. But he was an easygoing guy and was a pretty dependable person when it counted, though maybe that had to do with him being a cop or something. James threw a smirk at Simon and said, "Well, I might have a beer in the fridge, if the wife didn't take it already."

Another female voice spoke up again, saying, "Isn't she trying to _stop_ drinking? Maybe you should…You know, not have beer in the house?"

"Leah, when you get a guy of your own, you'll understand that you have to overlook some flaws for the good that you get with the one's you love. Besides, she's been sober for two weeks. Baby steps." James said to woman as she popped up on Skype.

Simon chuckled at that, causing the Korean woman on the screen to scowl at him as she began rifling through drawers in her room. Leah was a beauty to say the least, with a slender body, flowing black-hair tied into a long ponytail, and bright expressive green eyes. She adjusted her glasses, shaking her head slightly but not saying much else. She was the most responsible one of their group, and generally played peacekeeper to their idiocy, though that was because she truly did care about others and just wanted everyone to get along. She also worked for the CIA, and was proud of her job and training as a special agent.

"Baby steps for your _baby_ , right?" Amy laughed as she popped up on screen, winking as she stuck out her tongue.

"Ames, you're being ridiculous again," Simon remarked with a small chuckle. Far be it from him though to keep his English friend from being silly. The blond-haired young woman grinned at him from the computer screen, looking tired from work but cheerful as always. She had bright blue eyes and had the face of an angel, with a small inquisitive nose he always teased her about. What he liked most about her was her upbeat attitude, no matter what was going on in her life. Simon himself had been very taken with her since they met two summers ago, and while they couldn't always be together, he was glad he could at least keep in touch with her. She promised that the two of them would spend some quality time together the next time she was in the US.

"Well excuse me, mister. Far be it from me to be snarky when I so choose. Besides, you know you love it!" Amy laughed as she leaned back in her chair, pulling down her pink aviator sunglasses over her eyes. Simon shook his head as he adjusted his laptop's screen, looking down at his three best friends with a small smile on his face.

Simon himself was a tall and strong young man with tanned skin, with short jet-black hair and dull grey eyes that bespoke of intellect. Despite what he was told by others though, there was always more to learn and improve. Hence why he joined the Navy. That said, he wasn't particularly a respectful individual, often times being called a douche by his three best friends…a statement he agreed with.

Simon was on a ship in the middle of the ocean right now after getting off a long shift, hence why his friends were chatting with him on Skype in the middle of the night.

"Anyway, distractions from our resident twat aside…" Simon said as he slipped back into his chair, yawning slightly. "What's new with you folks?"

"Nothing much, as always. I've been chasing down a few leads into some kidnappings, including some high-profile stuff I really can't mention…" Leah said with a sheepish smile.

"Lame. I've just been working and hanging in there. Not much else to say that." James said with a shrug as he leaned back in his chair.

"Oh come on, there's got to be something interesting going on in your life man." Simon said exasperatedly, causing James to scratch his chin.

"Uh…I've been playing a bit of my son's XBOX 360 lately. That's been a thing." James offered weakly, causing Leah and Amy to snort in amusement.

"Any good games?" Simon asked in a bored tone.

"That Call of Duty Black Ops thing that came out like, a year ago. I got a good deal on it at GameStop. If you like first-person shooters and war games, then it's pretty good. I only played it for my son though." Jams admitted before he looked at his Asian friend.

"So Leah, what've you been doing? And don't give me the vague treatment, I want details." James asked, earning a small sigh in response.

"Top-secret stuff. Can't say," Leah replied, resigned.

"OK, I've been working on some reports for the local newspaper and Simon's been sent on an 8-month cruise to Italy. Now, what are you working on?" Amy prompted with a wide shit-eating grin on her face. Leah starred at her friend for a moment before hanging her head with a sigh.

"Well…Alright. I've been brushing up on some cold cases a friend of mine in another department wanted me to look at that are related to some recent kidnappings. Turns out some of them have to do with _Nazis_ …pretty interesting stuff, let me tell you. It's all super vague and top-secret." Leah said to her friends with a small smile on her face as she looked back up.

"Nazi's? Really?" James asked, surprised.

"And…?" Amy prompted, clearly wanting her friend to tell her more.

"I honestly haven't gotten a chance to read most of the stuff. But from the looks of it, some old Nazi documents were traced to a factory in Florida where a group of people many years ago went missing. They were seen in New York, but then vanished. The factory in Florida was destroyed, but there was some really weird tech left behind that the government got ahold of. I'll be reading the rest of the documents later, but that's what I've gathered from it so far." Leah said as she held up a travelling backpack filled with supplies.

"Isn't that your survival pack?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, I'm going camping tomorrow, so I had to get packed early. Me and my cousins are heading out for the weekend, and while I'm out there I'm gonna review these files," Leah said with a grin.

"Work, work, work! You need to get laid, ma'am." Amy said to her friend, causing the grin to slip from her face and a great blush to replace.

"S-s-shut up Amy!" Leah sputtered as she stood out of her chair, slipping on the backpack and saying, "Maybe I'll just go into the woods now just to get away from your limey ass."

The other three friends snickered in reply, but Simon stopped laughing as he saw his screen flicker for a moment. Simon scowled and tapped his laptop with the side of his hand, only for the flickering to worsen.

"What the...hold on, guys." Simon muttered, seeing his computer screen suddenly turn green. Lines of code began running across the screen, as well as a line of the same 3 repeating numbers to flash across the screen again and again and again. Simon scowled as his fingers tapped the keyboard, only for black static to shock his fingers.

"Simon? You good man?" James asked, seeing Simon's feed in the call becoming distorted.

"No, something's happening to my laptop." Simon said before he heard a chuckle from behind him.

" _ **Ah…You four will do nicely."**_

The voice spoke from behind Simon, causing the young sailor to spin around and let out a gasp of surprise as a small black ball of goo suddenly materialized in front of him, quickly growing in size. Simon stumbled away from the desk and dug into one of his drawers, pulling out a loaded magnum and aiming it at the blob.

"Simon! What is that!?" Leah asked as Simon starred down the blob.

"No idea…" Simon said haltingly, his finger curled around the trigger. Simon took a tentative step forward, and that was when the blob struck. A black tentacle of goo shot forward and grabbed Simon around the arm as he fired two shots, both of which bounced off of the blob like it was nothing. Simon let out yell of pain as the tentacle's grip tightened on him like a vice, slowly pulling him forward.

"I'm not a Japanese schoolgirl! Get the hell off me!" Simon barked as he tried to pull away from the blob, but to no avail.

"What the hell is that!?" James yelled before he heard a muffled screams from behind him. He tore his eyes away from the screen and leaned back in his chair, letting out a soft swear as he quickly got to his feet. Several people were in his kitchen, wearing tattered clothing and covered in blood. The worst part was is that it looked like their bodies were rotted, with a smell being given off that made James nearly gag.

The people looked towards James with bright blue eyes glowing in the dim light of the kitchen and began making their way towards him as growls escaped their throats. James slammed the door shut and locked it, backing away from the door as his mind raced.

"James? What's going on!?" Leah asked before she heard a voice chuckle from behind her. Leah whirled around in her chair in time for a black tentacle to wrap itself around her throat, yanking her out of her chair and onto the floor.

"Leah!" Amy yelled out before she glanced behind herself, ducking to avoid a tentacle reaching towards her. Amy kicked her chair away and stared down the writhing mass of tentacles and goo before her, even as her three friends struggled on the screen behind her.

" _ **Do not resist…"**_ the voice whispered in her ear.

"Try me!" Amy growled as she quickly reached behind her, grabbing a pocket knife off of her desk and brandishing it at the monster. Amy heard the voice laugh again before the ball exploded, sending tentacles shooting towards her as she let out a yell.

"Amy!" Simon yelled back as he saw her connection fade out. He then let out a yell as the mass of goo in front of him quickly began to roil and bubble, quickly expanding before his eyes before exploding violently, consuming him whole.

"N-no! Simon! Amy!" Leah screamed as the tentacles wrapped around her arms and throat, slowly dragging her forward. She fought as hard as she could, but she too was overwhelmed.

" _ **And then there was one…"**_ the voice chuckled as James watched his computer in horror, seeing that the call was dropped completely, since Leah was the host.

"No…What's going on!? Who are you?" James yelled before the sound of wood breaking made him turn around. The people who were in his house were now tearing their way through his door, snarling horribly as he took a step back. James grabbed a baseball bat he had hanging from the wall, a signed one from a game he went to as a kid, and ran to the door.

"GET OUT!" James bellowed as he swung the bat, caving in the head of one of the creatures (there was no way they could be human). Blood spattered over the door as the monster went limp, but the three other monsters were still clawing through his door. Three swings later, and James was staring at a bloody door with four corpses piled up on the floor outside.

"What the hell…" James muttered, running his hand down his face. His friends were in trouble. Monsters, things out of nightmares or hell or whatever, had just attacked him and his friends. James felt his phone vibrate, but he ignored it.

"I need to get help. I need-" James began to say to himself before his phone vibrated again. He scowled and pulled out his smartphone, seeing a text from his wife.

" _James, check the news right now!"_

He quickly sent off a text of his own that said, _"Can do, babe. Some crazy shit's going on here. Love you."_

James' frown grew as he went into Facebook, scrolling down his newsfeed with growing horror as his hands began to shake slightly, the faint sound of laughter echoing in his ears.

"What the hell…what the hell…" James muttered again and again, scrolling down his phone and seeing news alerts popping up. The same word kept popping up again and again and again.

Zombies.

"That's impossible…no way this real. It has to be some kind of joke…" James murmured, but he turned to the four bodies in front of him and knew this was real. This wasn't a nightmare, and this wasn't a game. He kept scrolling down and saw a news video from Florida pop up. Millions dead within just a few hours of some kind of outbreak out in a small county known as Bradburn. Entire cities laid to waste down south, even as more undead spread across the United States like wildfire.

" _ **You see…You and your friends are little more than pawns, young one. And as this world begins to crumble, under the wrath of a man who seeks nothing but destruction, many others suffer so many worse fates…I have chosen you to take part in an incredible adventure of sorts…But what you choose to do with this gift is up to you and your friends alone…One way or another, you are my pawns…instruments of mine to be used and discarded at will…"**_ the voice spoke to him softly. Comfortingly. It pissed James off though, and he raised his bat into the air.

"What the hell is going on?! Tell me, you son of a bitch!" James yelled at the voice, whirling around the room furiously. His answer was a small black ball of goo that appeared on the wall in front of him that quickly shot out two tentacles and ensnared him in its grasp.

" _ **Very well…Soon you will know everything, little pawn. Allow me to show you the true meaning of darkness…"**_ The voice whispered as James was dragged towards an expanding ball of goo and tentacles. He let out a horrified scream as the mass exploded, engulfing him completely and making him drop his baseball bat.

" _ **You four will be the beginning…of the end."**_

* * *

Location: Unknown

* * *

"Where am I?" Leah muttered, shaking her head as she stumbled to her feet, bracing herself against a nearby dusty chair for balance. Her vision cleared a few moments later, and she began to get her bearings. She noticed that Simon, Amy, and James were all unconscious on the floor by her, so she began trying to wake them up as she looked around the dirty and dilapidated stage they were now standing on.

"Ugh…What did I do last night?" Amy muttered as Leah sat her up. Amy shuddered and fought the urge to throw up, instead choosing to hold her head for a moment.

"No idea, Ames. But we've got bigger problems. Just what the hell happened? All I remember is our skype call and getting pulled towards that monster thing. Then I screamed…now we're here. What's up with that?" Leah asked as James and Simon also began to stir. Amy shakily got to her feet and helped Leah get the guys to sit up and regain their senses.

"Guys…where are we?" Leah asked, looking around the room.

"No clue. Then again, I have more questions than that. What happened back during that call? Who attacked us? What was it talking about? And what attacked James?" Simon asked the others before he heard a growl from behind them. The group turned around and was surprised to see a shambling man slowly making his way towards them, but James' eyes widened in horror as he took a step forward.

"That thing looks just like the freaks that attacked me at my house." James said as the creature made its way closer.

"What the hell is _that_ thing!?" Amy yelled out, clinging to Simon as the man stepped in front of her.

"Well, let's see. Clearly decomposing body, missing several chunks of it head, glowing evil eyes, and a tattered Nazi uniform of some kind. I'd like to wager it's a Nazi zombie of some kind." Simon sarcastically deduced as he aimed his magnum at the zombie and fired. The shot grazed the zombie's head, blasting its ear off. The monster growled in reply and rushed at the group, only for a second shot to go right through its head, causing its skull to explode in a shower of gore and blood.

"Nasty. But…effective," Amy said quietly as she slung an arm around her friend's shoulder, relaxing slightly.

"Again, that guy looked just like the creepy bastards that broke into my house. Looks like whatever the hell was happening back at my place is happening here," James said as he took a look around the room.

"Now that I think about it…this place kind of like that zombie map my son made me play once or twice…No, this _is_ that place in that video game! The hell is going on here?" James said in a bemused tone as looked at Amy and Leah, earning two shrugs in reply.

"Considering what just happened to us is pretty much impossible, but it happened anyway, assume all bets are off in this place. For all we know, we're in some kind of personal hell or something." Leah remarked as she pulled out a hunting knife out of her survival pack, tossing two extra knives to James and Amy. Simon pulled out one of his own knives out of his boot, gripping it tightly.

"OK, so that explains why I'm here. But what about you three dorks?" Amy said with a small laugh, earning a shake of the head from Simon before the four of them felt something…strange. As if someone or something was watching them. A dark presence of sorts, which spoke after a moment.

" **Who are you?"**

A whisper. So faint, but clear as a bell to the group. They looked around the room, but heard nothing besides the sounds of distant gunshots and yells. They were certainly not alone in this creepy place. But that voice…

"Did anyone just hear a little girl? Or did Amy drug me again?" Simon asked the others, who nodded in reply while Amy flipped him off. Simon turned forward and looked up as the girl spoke again.

" **Did Uncle Edward send you?"** a child voice asked, in a whisper. She sounded scared, but the accent she had intrigued Simon. He vaguely pinpointed it as German. He wondered if they were in Germany or somewhere around there. That was something to figure out later.

"Erm…My name is Simon. This is Amy, James, and Leah. What's your name?" Simon asked, adopting a polite and gentle tone with the strange voice.

" **My name is…Samantha…You don't look like Uncle Edward's friends…Do you know my daddy?"** Simon frowned, unsure of what exactly to say.

"We're friends of your daddy, Samantha. Do you know where we are?" Leah piped up, speaking to the girl in a kind tone as well.

" **No…Everything is so strange. Everything feels…Everything…hurts…help…"** Samantha whispered in their minds, sounding close to tears.

"This girl sounds like she's in trouble," Amy said quietly to Simon. Simon nodded, but didn't know what to do. They had nothing to go on.

"Samantha, we need help getting home. If you can help us get home, we can help you. Where are you?" Simon asked the girl, who remained silent. However, he did see the room shudder and felt two grenades suddenly appear on his belt. A set of 8 numbers appeared out of the corner of his eye, with three of them being 1500, and the rest being different numbers and all different colors.

"Damn. Looks like we're on our own for now." James said as he took another glance around the room.

"We each have 1500 points. Everyone look around, see if this works like that game I played with my kid." James said as he began walking around the room.

"James, what can you tell us about this game? If we're…somehow inside of it or something, the more we know the better." Simon asked the cop, who shrugged.

"I never beat it, man. I just know little bits about it. My son is nuts about it. Seems like the kind of deal we're going through now. The only map I played on was some kind of Nazi theater or something, and this looks a lot like that…and so does that." James said as he walked over to the wall, eyeing the familiar large wooden box with two glowing questions marks on it. He pressed his hand on it, causing it to fly open as his point total dropped by 950. A sniper rifle floated up from the box for a brief moment before switching to a pistol, before switching to a shotgun. The weapons changed in front of James' very eyes for a few seconds before landing on a massive gun that he reached out for and grabbed.

"HK21. Not sure why, but I know that's what this is called." James said as he shifted the gun in his hands, grinning as spare ammo clips for the gun suddenly appeared on his belt.

"My turn!" Amy said as she ran towards the box, placing her hand on it. She let out a laugh of glee as she grabbed two black pistols, C275's.

"Not bad at all, Ames," James said approvingly as Leah walked over to the box and got a sniper rifle of sorts. A Dragunov.

"Semi-auto? That'll do." Leah said as she levelled the rifle out and took aim for a second before popping off a shot into a zombie approaching from afar, blasting through its chest and sending it to the ground.

Simon, who had continued to observe his surroundings, had noticed two things that his friends had not. Two chalk outlines on the wall right across from one another, one of them was of a gun while the other was of something else. With a small smile, he walked over to the gun outline and pressed his hands against it, after a few moments of thought. His points fell as a gun materialized from the wall, a black assault rifle. He pulled the gun off of the wall with little effort, a replica of the gun he had just acquired now occupying the chalk outline on the wall.

"M16. Nice." Simon muttered as he admired the gun for a moment. Simon walked over to a nearby doorway that was boarded up and fired a few bursts through it, tearing apart the undead that were trying to rip their way through the doorway. Simon glanced over to his right and saw Amy and Leah gunning down a few zombies that had clambered into the stage area with their guns. Meanwhile, James was looking around the stage in wonder.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Simon asked James, who shrugged.

"Something feels…wrong, man. Part of me wants to think we somehow got sucked into a video game or something but…remember that weird voice? When we got attacked? And I _saw_ zombies before we came here. They were _real_. They broke into my house. There were reports of attacks all over Florida and spreading everywhere else…what's going on?" James said slowly, looking at Simon. Simon nodded slightly and was about to reply when the doors in front of him were kicked open and a squad of four soldiers burst into the rooms, guns drawn.

Simon and Leah reacted first, raising their guns and aiming them at the soldiers while Amy and James reacted a moment later. Simon swore internally as the two groups starred each other down in silence. The sounds of the undead could be heard even louder with the door open, which probably led to more of the theater they were in. Meaning more zombies were on the way…

"Well, this isn't very civil, is it?" Simon remarked lightly, and despite knowing he was taking a risk, lowered his gun. He nodded to his friends, who did the same a few seconds later with worried looks on their faces.

The blond-haired man at the front of the group lowered his gun after a few moments before saying in a gruff tone, "I guess not. So, what brings you folks to this creepy ass place?"

"No idea. How about you?" Simon asked the man, who shrugged in reply.

"Well that's helpful." Amy sighed, kicking at the ground and sending up a puff of dirt.

"Well, if you're not enemies…then you're probably friendly and a damn sight for sore eyes. Nice to see some people around here that aren't either crazy or dead. The name's Dempsey. Corporal Tank Dempsey. United States Marine Core." the blond-haired man said as he took a step forward, offering his hand to Simon. The sailor smirked and shook the marine's hand, and with that the others stepped forward and began shaking hands with each other, introducing each other.

"Amy Harris, journalist and absolute twat. Nice to meet you!" Amy chirped as she shook hands with Dempsey, who smirked in reply.

"Simon Alviar. Really hoping that I'm in some kind of deluded fever dream. If so, there's a noticeable lack of hookers that makes this whole thing kind of disappointing," Simon said with a sigh, causing Leah to smack him upside the head.

"Ignore him. He's a douche. I'm Leah Sujin, by the way." The Korean woman said with a bashful grin, causing Dempsey to chuckle in reply as she shook Takeo's hand.

"And I'm James Tucker, who has to deal with these morons on a near-constant basis. Hopefully you folks and can help me keep them in line," James offered with a grin, hefting his HK21 over his head with no effort.

Dempsey introduced the group to Sergeant Nikolai Belinski, a drunk Russian soldier who grinned at them. Captain Takeo Masaki, a quiet Japanese man with acknowledged them with a nod. And then Doctor Edward Richtofen, a Nazi scientist of sorts who seemed to regard the group warily.

" _This…was not in the plan...I need to regroup and think this out. They aren't supposed to be here!"_ Richtofen thought before a snarl interrupted his musings. He spun around and jammed the tip of his MP40 into the open mouth of a zombie before pulling the trigger, destroying its head and spraying blood across the Nazi's chest.

"Excuse me? But can ve get back to zhe slaughter?" Richtofen said mockingly as he began firing off shots into the now open doors, killing zombies as he did so and ending the round.

(Round 7)

"Can you all fight?" Dempsey asked Simon, who nodded in repl.

"I've used guns quite a bit. Amy's got some training with firearms from a while back, so she'll be OK with some practice. Leah's a pretty good shot, if I remember right. James is a cop, so he should be fine as well." Simon said to the marine, who nodded, satisfied.

"Alright. I say we stick together for the moment. When the heat dies down, we'll talk a bit more about what the hell is going on. Just stay lively and watch each other's back!" Dempsey growled as he aimed his Stakeout back towards the undead drawing closer down the hallway.

"Get zhe power on! Zhe is switch behind you!" Richtofen called to Dempsey, who glanced behind himself and saw the switch on the wall. Sprinting towards it, he threw the switch and activated the generators that sent power thrumming through the facility. As the curtain opened and the theater shuddered slightly, Dempsey spotted strange crawling zombies scaling the walls.

"Hey Doc! What's with the crawlers on the wall?" Dempsey asked the Nazi, who chuckled.

"Ah. Crawler Zombies. Those release a powerful gas vhen killed. I vouldn't recommend being near zhem vhen zhey…pop." Richtofen giggled as he walked towards the edge of the stage, eyeing the spawning zombies directly in front of them and in the rafter above. Dempsey looked at Richtofen for a moment before looking back at the new arrivals. He hoped they'd be alright, and that they could hold their own, even if he didn't really know them. He turned back forward and scowled at the zombies making their way towards them.

"Well then, kids. Let's get this party started!" Dempsey bellowed as screams of the damned echoed through the building. The four friends exchanged a look as the four soldiers in front of them charged down the stage and leapt into the depths of the horde running towards them from all angles, gunning down everything in sight with similar expressions of joyous fury on their faces. Simon smirked as he shifted the weight of his M16 before looking over at Amy.

"Well, Ames. Shall we?" Simon asked playfully, earning a small smile from the Englishwoman as she bug into her jacket pocket and slipped on her pink aviator shades.

"Well…this is certainly more interesting than what I had planned for the evening. Let's do it!" Amy laughed, raising her pistols. James and Leah exchanged a look before raising their sniper rifle and LMG in unison.

"Let's get it done then!" James boomed as he sprinted forward, raising his HK21 to eye level and holding down the trigger, letting the bullets fly. Simon and Amy charged ahead while Leah stayed towards the back, looking around the room and sniping the crawlers along the wall. As the eight men and woman began to fight the undead once more, a small flash of light erupted from behind one of the curtains as the jester peeked his head out at the zombie slayers and their new companions, a worried frown on his face.

"Traces of Element 115 and something else linger here…something dark. Is it magic? Or something else…This requires study…Hang in there, Doctor. I'll get to the bottom of this." the man said as he snapped his fingers, vanishing in a flash of green light as the sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the building, as eight men and women fought against the undead hordes.


	3. Theater of the Damned

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Howdy folks. Time for a new update of Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows._

 _Zetsubou No Shima has been out for roughly 48 hours or so, and the Easter Egg has already been solved and the next step in Richotfen's plan has been carried out. For those not following, I won't spoil it, but this took a turn I wasn't expecting and makes me glad I'm writing this story the way I am._

 _I was actually in the stream of NoahJ456 when he became the first person to ever Pack-A-Punch the Wonder Weapon of the map, so that was pretty cool. I missed him finishing the Easter Egg, but it was an interesting experience and I totally suggest checking him out on Youtube._

 _I'll working on the Easter Eggs myself with the help of my own friends. I'll keep you all posted if I manage to finish any of them. If you have an XBOX One and wish to add me, just PM me and I'll add you. Just keep in mind that if I don't accept party invites, its not because I don't want to talk to you or because I'm an asshole, its just that I usually hop online when I just get off of work, and I'm normally not in a talkative mood, hahaha._

 _Onto other topics._

 _This time around for Apocalypse, I'm going to try something new._

 _Starting this chapter **, I will be answering questions that I receive in the review section at the end of chapters, when they're uploaded**. This is mainly because I do actually get a fair few questions, and I don't have the chance to seek out people and get back to them, as I am incredibly busy. So, when you finish a chapter, if you have a question you want answered, go ahead and ask if in the review section! You'll get an answer in the next update! Keep in mind though that I'm not going to spoil parts of the story that haven't happened yet, but if you have a question in regards to Apocalypse DOTD or SS, just drop a review and I'll get back to you. **If you do ask a question though, please offer some feedback on the chapter before you ask your question. I will not be dealing with spammed questions that offer no feedback whatsoever.** Thanks. _

_Shotuout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes BlestComet75, Zhespy, as well as two new reviewers known as Nightwing141 and Mooman1706 (good to see you again, mate!). Thanks for the support, folks! Be sure to check out PMD: GLD or any of my other stories if you're interested, and show some love with a review if you do._

 _Anyway, with that load of nonsense out of the way._

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 3: Theater of the Damned_

* * *

 _"Field report…Looks like that crazy Nazi sent us through time. We seemed to have arrived at an abandoned theater of some sort that's fallen into a state of disrepair. From what I can tell, zombies have overwhelmed a significant portion of the world at this point…But we'll keep fighting, damn it. I'm not going to stop until this mess gets fixed…I just hope the kids we picked up in this place can keep up."_ – Tank Dempsey, shortly upon arrival at Kino Der Toten.

* * *

Location: Deutsches sol Kino

* * *

(Round 7)

Doctor Edward Richtofen was many things.

Murderer. Genius. Scientist. Model (in his much younger days, and not that he'd admit it to anyone). And now madman, thanks to the influence of both Element 115 and his direct exposure to the M.P.D.

But one thing he wasn't, at least not very often, was caught off guard.

 _"Who are these fools!? Why are they here!? Did Samantha send them? Or Doctor Maxis? Or…someone else?"_ Richtofen thought as he stepped through the foyer, effortlessly gunning down the undead with a precision only the de facto leader of Group 935 could achieve, scoring headshot after headshot and downing an entire wave in a single clip of his MP40.

"Hey Richtofen! Wait up!" Dempsey barked, with Nikolai, Takeo and the other fools behind them. Richtofen scowled and ignored them, focusing on the undead ahead of them as he reloaded his gun.

"HEY!" Simon yelled out. Richtofen brushed off the young man's yell and was rewarded by a strong swipe to the side from one of his fellow Nazi's, who was now an undead minion of Samantha's. Richtofen staggered into the wall as the undead creature ran at him, only to the back of its head to explode and for the zombie to stumble to the ground, revealing Simon lowering his M16.

"I tried to warn you." Simon said coolly as he stepped into the room, raising his eyes at the décor, specifically the Nazi symbols everywhere.

"This place is horrifying. What are you all doing here, anyway?" James asked Nikolai, who shrugged.

"We're kinda just along for the ride. Mr. Nazi-Psychopath is the one with all the answers." Dempsey admitted as he casually blew the jaw off of a shambling zombie with his Stakeout.

"Oh really? Care to explain just what the hell is going on then, Doctor Richtofen?" Simon asked the Nazi, who shook his head.

"Later, vhen the undead are not so numerous. Ve need to thin zheir ranks!" Richtofen barked as he reloaded his MP40, glancing back at the others as they held down the room from the undead, ending the round a minute or so later.

(Round 8)

"Alright, round's over. Now spill it, Doc!" Dempsey said to the Nazi, but he simply got a shake of the head in reply.

"In time, mein Dempsey. In time," Richtofen darkly murmured as his eyes darted around the room. He needed to see if he could get the teleporter to work here. Maybe he could calibrate to sync up with one of the teleporters on the Moon…if he recalled Groph had said that they were operational, but untested. He was sure he could work something out…it was a shame magic was of no help here.

 _"And then it'll be all yours…that power…"_

Richtofen smiled inwardly before he was brought out of his musing by a screech from behind him. Richtofen ducked to avoid a swipe from a zombie and retaliated by jamming his knife into the monster's skull and shooting it twice with his MP40, downing it.

"What's the _plan_ , Richtofen!?" Dempsey growled as he brandished a bowie knife, slashing at everything in sight with Takeo watching his back, firing at two crawlers as they travelled down the walls.

"Get vhatever Perk-A-Cola's you need! Stay alive until I can link zhe teleporters together!" Richtofen called out as he walked over to Quick Revive, buying a bottle of the beverage and taking a drink of it.

"What the hell does that do?" James asked the German, who shivered at the taste of the beverage. Imagine drinking liquid raw fish, and you'd get what drinking the vile drink tasted like. Utterly revolting, but the effects were worth it. Richtofen glanced down at his waist, seeing a small satchel filled with syringes that contained a bright blue fluid instead of white fluid.

"If I remember right, that one lets you revive others in combat much easier. We've all got syringes that can help heal wounds we get while fighting. Quick Revive speeds that process up, and its way more effective out in the field." Dempsey pointed out to the new arrivals, who saw that a small brown satchel filled with medical syringes was on each of their waists.

"Convenient. Almost as if someone was trying to make video game mechanics apply to an entirely different medium." Amy chirped as she turned around and opened fire on a few zombies shambling into the room from the door to leading to the theater, looking up at Dempsey as he began to walk down the stairs.

"Trust me, FlygonNick doesn't think that far ahead." Dempsey remarked before he lost his balance and fell down the stairs. Because fuck you, Dempsey.

"What on earth was that?" Leah asked before quickly sniping two Crawlers off of the wall, getting a headshot on one of the two.

"Agh…Well, someone's gotta break the fourth wall. Might as well be me." Dempsey muttered as he got to his feet, rolling his shoulders as the others held the room down for another round.

(Round 9)

A mist rolled into the room from seemingly nowhere, making it harder to see. Richtofen let out a exhaled breath as his body tensed, knowing what was to come.

"Brace yourselves…Every now and zhen, she vill send her Hellhounds to try and stop us. Ve must repel zhem! " Richtofen growled as he backed up against a wall, eyeing the room around them. Each of the zombie slayers did the same and raised their weapons, ready for anything.

 ** _"FETCH ME THEIR SOULS!"_**

Several bolts of bright blue lightning struck down on the ground around the room, spawning massive dogs with matted and decaying flesh. Bones and innards were clearly visible on the dogs as they appeared as if from nowhere, snarling and growling as they charged at them. As one, all eight of the zombie slayers opened fire, their bullets tearing through the decaying flesh of the undead hounds and causing them to fall to the ground with whines of pain.

One of the smarter Hellhounds managed to dodge the initial wave of gunfire and lunged at Richtofen's midsection. The Nazi swung his foot around and kicked the dog in the side of the head.

"Nein puppy! My spleen!" Richtofen cried out as the dog lunged at him again, only for the barrel of a gun to get jammed into it's maw and a burst of gunfire to kill it from the inside out.

"Farewell, spawn of Fluffy!" Richtofen breathed as he took aim and continued shooting at the undead dogs.

"Why are they on fire!?" Amy asked as one Hellhound got a bit too close and exploded next to her in a shower of fur and fire, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Hellhounds, Amy. Emphasis on the _Hell_." Leah replied as she took aim and fired a shot towards the top of the staircase, the round entering the skull of the Hellhound and killing it instantly. A glowing green golden ammo clip appeared out of thin air next to the dog, and the group stirred.

"Alright, so whenever we survive a round of the Hellhounds, we get a Max Ammo. It gives us exactly what it says, fresh rounds to stay alive." Dempsey explained as Nikolai walked upstairs and grabbed the power up once everyone had reloaded.

 ** _"MAX AMMO!"_**

"Makes about as much sense as everything else here," Simon remarked as he shouldered his M16, eyeing the room around him as the mist faded and the new round began.

(Round 10)

"I'm still having trouble following just what the hell is going in here," Leah muttered as she spotted two Crawlers scaling the walls ahead of her, right behind Richtofen.

"Hey Doctor! Behind you!" Leah yelled as she took aim, firing four shots, missing the first two both blasting both zombies on the last two shots. Richtofen moved away from the wall as the bodies crashed onto the ground next to him, and he gave a brief nod to Leah as he opened fire with his MP40, the bullets tearing through two approaching zombies with ease.

"We need to split up! We're sitting ducks if all eight of us are in the same room!" James barked out as he sidestepped a zombie and bashed it over the head with his HK21.

"Good plan. I'll stick with Nikolai, James and Simon and head back to the theater, grabbing what we need. Richtofen, keep an eye on the rest and keep moving, got it?" Dempsey said to the Nazi, who nodded wordlessly. The group split apart from the others, allowing Richtofen some reprieve.

"So, vhere do you both come from?" Richtofen casually asked as he watched two Crawlers scale the walls in front of them. Leah and Amy shot them down, causing them to fall down onto the ground, curl up and explode in a cloud of horrible smelling gas. Richtofen saw Takeo swiftly take down a zombie attempting attack him from behind, dismembering it with his katana. The Japanese Captain walked towards the theater entrance and began firing with his MP40, no doubt to deal with more undead heading their way.

"Well, I'm technically from South Korea, but I was brought to the US when I was a little girl and raised in Tennessee." Leah as she looked over at Richtofen. The Nazi nodded in reply as he suddenly whirled around and slammed his MP40 over the head of a zombie, jamming the gun's tip against the back of its skull and firing directly.

"Ah, I love zhe feeling of blood against mein skin!" Richtofen giggled as he flicked the blood off of his hands and jammed his knife into a nearby zombie, blowing its brains out a moment later. He turned his attention to Amy and said, "Vhat about you?"

"And I'm from London! Because British!" Amy chirped as she reloaded one of her pistols. Richtofen saw a zombie leap down from the floor above where Takeo was and shot it down in midair, causing the body to fall and crash down onto the ground. Takeo nodded at Richtofen as he finished reloading his own MP40.

"Hmph. Indeed…Now come. Ve should keep moving." Richtofen said softly as he made his way up the nearby stairs, shooting at two zombies who charged him and downing them both with ease. Amy, however, sprinted past him with a wide grin on her face and began shooting at two zombies running at her from opposite ends of the room, killing them both. Amy looked back at Richtofen, who scoffed in reply.

"Do not try and impress me. Zhat was foolish, nothing more," Richtofen remarked as he casually shot at another zombie that was leaping down from the ceiling. The Nazi smiled slightly as he heard the sounds of broken decayed limbs smashing against the floor.

"Psh. For a crazy Nazi, you're boring." Amy said hotly, striding past the Nazi with a shake of the head. She caught sight of a large soda machine of sorts advertising a product known as Mule Kick, which Richtofen and Takeo took notice of.

"Strange…Zhis machine…I have not seen one like zhis before…" Richtofen murmured as he brushed his hand against it. He wondered what it did?

"We must ponder this mystery later. For now, we must survive!" Takeo said as he took aim with his MP40 and fired down the hallway, blasting apart several zombies rushing towards them. Leah sidled up next to the Japanese warrior and took aim through her Dragunov's scope, firing multiple times into the next room and taking the heads off several zombies.

"Like an arrow, your aim is true." Takeo muttered, a small smile on his face as he glanced upwards. Seeing a zombie about to leap down he shoved Leah away and drew his katana, slashing upwards and bisecting the zombie in midair and cried out, "I send you to your ancestors!"

"OK, so that was both rude and badass." Amy remarked as Leah got to her feet, scowling at the warrior.

"You could've warned me, Mister Masaki." Leah growled as she put her hands on her hips. Takeo and Richtofen rolled their eyes and moved into the next room, gunning down anything in sight. The round ended when Amy stomped on the head of a Crawler zombie that had gotten too close.

(Round 11)

The group made their way into the next room, going down the stairs. Richtofen made his way towards the Speed Cola machine and bought a bottle of the drink, chugging it down with a shudder.

"What does that do?" Amy asked Richtofen as the Nazi took aim and fired at two Crawlers coming down the ceiling. The two zombies fell to the ground and exploded in a cloud of horrible gas, which made the Doctor flinch and take several steps back, coughing.

"It allows one to reload their weapon much more quickly, like the wind before a storm," Takeo murmured as he too grabbed a bottle of the beverage. The Japanese swordsman smiled as chugged down the bottle of the soda, and remarked, "Tasty. Much honor goes to the creator of such a delicious beverage!"

"Watch our backs, fellas. I'm getting in on this!" Amy grinned as she ran to the Speed Cola machine. Leah followed her, and the two each bought a bottle of the Perk-A-Cola as Takeo and Richtofen held down the room, blasting apart the undead with their MP40's.

"Down the hatch," Leah said with a small laugh as she uncapped her bottle. Amy and Leah exchanged a look before they intertwined their arms and drank each-others bottle of soda, chugging the entire thing.

"Wow…Spicy yet sweet? That…huh." Leah remarked as she glanced around the room. She looked at Amy, who was coughing and complaining about spiciness, before turning to Richtofen and Takeo and asking, "Did either of you two see a recycling bin in this place?"

Richtofen gave her a "are you kidding me" look and Leah rolled her eyes, jogging past the two soldiers and hurling the bottle up the staircase, where it shattered against a zombie's skull and killed it instantly. She spotted Amy doing the same across the room before blasting apart the horde with her C275's.

* * *

Meanwhile:

* * *

"SUCK IT YOU FLESH SORES!" Dempsey yelled as he sank his Bowie Knife into yet another zombie, ripping its head off as he spun around and fired his Stakeout with one hand, blowing the heads off two zombies at once. He glanced around the room, taking stock of what was going around him. He put away his Stakeout and pulled out his newly acquired Galil as he did so.

James and Simon were standing back to back in the center of the horde, gunning down everything in sight with similar expressions of fury on their faces. They seemed to be adapting fairly well to the new environment they found themselves in, and it was obvious to Dempsey they were close friends. The marine saw Nikolai on the other side of the stage kicking away a Crawler before shooting it apart with his newly acquired RPK and getting blasted in the face with horrible smelling gas.

"Oh god…I think I just sharted…or the zombie did…ack!" Nikolai coughed as he stumbled away, shoving a nearby zombie aside and shooting it in the head as he did so. Dempsey noted the lack of zombies in the room and walked towards the others.

"Looks like we're winding down. Let's grab some Juggernog and get better situated," Dempsey growled as he made his way towards the front of the room, the others following close behind. Nikolai tossed a frag grenade towards the last three zombies, killing one of them and blowing the legs off of the other two. The four men bought a bottle of the beverage, shuddering as the powers of the drink filled them. Nikolai began singing as he heartily drank his bottle

"~Reach for vodka tooooooniiiiiiight!~" the Russian drunkenly sang, coughing slightly as he finished off his bottle and bought a Bowie Knife off of the wall.

"Holy hell…I feel like I could take on the world!" James laughed as he exhaled deeply, grinning widely.

"Yeah. What does this stuff do, anyway?" Simon asked Nikolai and Dempsey, the latter of which shot an approaching crawler in the face and killed it.

"It makes it so you do not go down so easily, puny American. You become hardy, like Nikolai!" the Russian chuckled as he stomped down on the other crawling zombie and smashed its face, ending the round. Simon bought a Bowie Knife off of the wall, admiring it for a moment before flipping it in his grip and walking back to the others.

(Round 12)

"Alright folks. Hold down this room and make sure these maggot-addicts stay down. If you need a new weapon, hit the box again!" Dempsey said to Simon and James, getting two nods in reply as they raised their weapons. Zombies rushed at the group from all angles, but they were swiftly put down with authority. A Crawler exploded close to Nikolai, causing the gas from its body to be inhaled by the Russian yet again. Nikolai stumbled forward, firing his Stakeout repeatedly as he coughed violently. A large golden 2X appeared out of thin air nearby from one of the zombies he had killed, so Nikolai stumbled through it, causing the voice from before to yell out.

 ** _"DOUBLE POINTS!"_**

Simon swore as his gun clicked empty, cursing his bad luck. He adjusted the strap around the gun so that it was on his back and grabbed his Bowie Knife before splitting off from the others and running at three zombies coming at them from behind.

"Now that's what I like to see!" Dempsey yelled out as he drew his own Bowie Knife and raised his Galil one-handed, gunning down several zombies before running forward and slicing apart whatever was left standing. Nikolai joined the marine, drunkenly blowing apart the undead with his shotgun.

Simon yelled out as he slashed at a zombie's chest before ducking under its outstretched arms and decapitating it, spraying the air with blood. James smirked at his friend as he turned his attention to a nearby barrier and unloaded his HK21 into it, blowing apart the undead leaping into the room, ending their un-lives.

"James! On your six!" Dempsey barked out. James turned around in time for a zombie to tackle him to the ground, snarling as it rear its head back to bite the cop-

Before Nikolai ran by with a roar and grabbed the zombie around the middle with ease, hurling it across the stage. The zombie stumbled to its feet before a Bowie Knife impaled its face, sending it to the ground. Nikolai extended a hand down to James, who grabbed it with a grin.

"For as much crap as Russians get, you're pretty alright," James said as Nikolai went to grab his knife, which he clipped to his belt.

"Haha! Now you owe Nikolai a drink, da?" Nikolai chuckled before his gaze shot up and he opened fire on the ceiling. James looked upwards and joined him, killing ten Crawlers that were scaling the ceiling for a sneak attack.

Dempsey watched the exchange with amusement as he gunned down everything in sight. He spotted two zombies running at him from the side and smirked as he aimed his Galil and shot back and forth between the two zombies before he heard an all too familiar click-

"Die! Again! Bonebags!" Dempsey barked as he dove forward, rolling past two zombies and running past them. The zombies had time to turn around before the grenades at their feet exploded, killing them instantly. Dempsey then heard a commotion coming from the dressing room, and cast a look that way.

"Make way for the comic relief, bitches!" Amy said as she dashed past a bewildered Dempsey and running over to the Mystery Box, rolling on it. Dempsey looked back towards the dressing room to see Richtofen, Takeo, and Leah walking at a more reasonable pace.

"Sorry about that. She's…a twat." Leah said tactfully as she walked past the marine, going to protect her friend as she got a weapon from the box. Richtofen walked past, shaking his head in disgust as he fired his MP40 at zombies from across the room.

"How're they doing?" Dempsey quietly asked Takeo as he walked by. The samurai thought for a moment before he simply nodded in approval.

"They lack our discipline, but they are young and able. Better than the filthy Russian," Takeo murmured as he grabbed a grenade off of his belt and yanked the pin out. He tossed it a few times in his hand before spinning around and hurling it at five zombies rushing at him from behind, blowing apart two of the zombies and heavily damaging the other three, who Dempsey picked off.

"I've got a shotgun!" Amy cheered as she cocked her SPAS-12, a wide grin on her face as he whirled around and blew apart a zombie with a single shot. Leah glanced before her and saw Takeo roll on the box, getting a grey machine gun. She looked back to Amy, who was effortlessly tearing apart the undead swarming them.

"Now that's a shotgun," Leah said admiringly as Amy marched forward and began blowing the heads off of the undead. This cleared the way for the others to run forward and grab Juggernog for themselves.

"Huh…Interesting taste," Leah remarked.

"Ah Juggernog. Now…" Richtofen turned around and placed his hand against the large knife on the wall.

"I don't know who Jim Bowie was…but he must have been big and long and sharp!" Richtofen crooned as he ran the blade against his finger, drawing a small bit of blood that he licked off of his finger. He turned around and saw Leah giving him a deadpan look before she reached past him and grabbed a Bowie Knife of her own. She gave it an experimental swing before looking at Richtofen.

"Nice hardware…But can I get a second one? I've got the points for it," Leah asked the Doctor, who gave her a surprised look that turned annoyed very quickly.

"Vhat!? You can't buy two knives!" Richtofen said to Leah, who shrugged and placed her hand on the Bowie Knife anyway. A second knife came from the wall as easily as the first.

"Samantha…you little brat! Stop changing zhe rules!" Richtofen snarled as Leah brushed past him, trying not to burst out laughing. Richtofen and Leah made their way back to the stage, where the group continued to fend off the horde, at least until one of the zombies got a hit in on Leah, who kicked the zombie away and stabbed it with both of her knives, growling angrily.

"Back off, assholes! I'm well-armed!" Leah snarled as she leapt off of the stage and into the depths of the horde, slicing and stabbing with her two Bowie Knives to the amazement of the rest of them.

"…I like her. She has… _spunk_." Takeo remarked after a moment, a small smirk on his face as the others turned to him. Richtofen and Amy shook their heads while Dempsey let out a yell of excitement.

"She's got the right idea! Hey Leah! How about this marine shows you how it's done!?" Dempsey bellowed as he jumped off of the stage, opening fire with his Galil with a wide grin on his face as he stopped next to Leah.

"Come on then, cowboy! Let's dance!" Leah shot back with a grin, flicking the blood off of her knives as more zombies leapt over the seats and into the fray. Both of them rushed forward, weapons ready as the undead surged towards them.

Leah ducked under a swipe from an undead Nazi and jammed both knives into the zombie's neck, slashing downwards as she jumped back from a crawler that Dempsey put down. The marine finished the job a moment later with a stab through the skull, and Leah offered a smile to the marine before they charged forward into the horde together, guns firing and blades swinging.

"Looks like Leah's having fun. And so am I! This kicks ass!" Amy giggled as she continued firing off shots and taking down the undead.

"Ames, one of these days, I'm gonna get you on some meds to level you out. This may be exciting, but we're still in a bind." Simon offered diplomatically as he spotted three zombies charging at them from the side. He took aim and fired three swift bursts, taking the heads off of the undead minions before reloading his M16, jamming a fresh clip home.

"He's not wrong. We've got to finish this and figure out what's going on here," James agreed, reloading his HK21.

"An alliance between us is necessary, I believe. Brought here by dark forces, perhaps the same as us. Together, we may just stop this evil." Takeo remarked as he aimed his Famas and blasted apart three zombies running at him from three separate directions, ending the round. The group saw Leah and Dempsey walk through the dressing room area, laughing and exchanging a fist bump. Takeo, however, spotted a glowing power-up shaped like a hammer that no one else did, and walked through it as the new round began.

 ** _"CARPENTER!"_** the voice screamed at them. The four new arrivals watched in awe as the open windows were swiftly boarded up by plans off wood that had fallen on the ground.

(Round 13)

"I heard that, and I agree. I'm always down for sharing the carnage." Dempsey said with a small laugh, glancing around as the zombies began to break into the main area again. The group slowly drew closer together, ready to attack everything that came near them. Dempsey however, made an observation once he saw the zombies began making their way towards the group.

"Looks like she's tiring out. The zombies are running out of steam," Dempsey remarked as he easily sidestepped a zombie and casually blew its brains out over the curtain. The zombies seemed to be losing some of their aggressiveness, becoming easier to kill despite their increasing durability. The group held down the stage, with Nikolai and Leah holding down the path leading to the foyer while the others blasted apart everything else in sight. Richtofen sensed that the end of the round was coming once more and let out a laugh of delight as he drew his Bowie Knife, slashing at a Nazi zombie's throat before decapitating it from behind, spraying the air with crimson fluid.

"Yes! Finally, ve have our reprieve!" Richtofen cackled as he ran to the podium where the turret was and flipped the switch, grinning evilly. The turret sputtered to life and began gunning down the remaining undead with uncanny accuracy while the others just watched passively. The rounded ended, but as it did the group felt an odd shudder roll through them. The air before them shimmered slightly before fading away, an odd pressure they never noticed left them.

"Zhere…she is recovering her strength. It vill likely take her until tomorrow morning to do zhat, so we may rest for a time…she is a child, after all. Even with her abilities, she has limits." Richtofen said to his comrades.

 _"If it were me in control…Things would be different,"_ Richtofen thought with a wince, recalling his failure at securing the M.P.D. and allowing Samantha and his power to slip through his fingers.

"If that's the case, we should check out the rest of this place while we have the time. Though you still have some explaining to do, Doctor." Simon said to the Nazi, earning two nods of agreement from James and Dempsey as well. Richtofen turned around and made his way to the Teleporter, glancing back at the group as he did so.

"If you vish to do some exploring, do not wander far…or do. I don't really care zhat much!" Richtofen called out as he clambered into the Teleporter. Leah rolled her eyes at the Doctor and looked over at Takeo.

"You wanna check this place out, Mister Masaki?" Leah asked the quiet warrior. Takeo didn't reply, so Leah looked back to Tank and Nikolai.

"Is he always…so _quiet_?" Leah asked awkwardly.

"Well, yeah. I mean he talks, it's just that it doesn't make much sense. Usually about honor or something like that." Dempsey said dismissively as he looked to the others in the group.

"I would like to explore this place for vodka." Nikolai stated, pulling out his flask and taking a small sip. He then looked to Amy and said, "Hey, pretty lady. Would you like to keep Nikolai company?"

Simon looked ready to protest, but Amy grinned in reply and said, "Sure thing, big guy. Let's get into some trouble."

Nikolai cracked a grin at that, holding out an arm for Amy, which she accepted with a giggle. Nikolai then led the Englishwoman away as he began talking loudly, "Good! Now, let Nikolai tell you about the time he wrestle big black bear in cold Siberian forest!"

The two walked away, chatting, while Simon fumed in anger. James put a hand on his shoulders and said, "Tough break there, man. But I doubt she'd do anything with him, anyway. So don't worry about it."

"So, what? Are you two together or something?" Dempsey asked Simon, who shook his head.

"It's…complicated."

"Sounds like it. Anyway, I'm gonna scour the outside of this place for resources. James, Simon, you wanna come with? Takeo and Leah can go off by themselves to explore the rest of this creepy place. Richtofen, keep doing Nazi stuff." Dempsey said to the man as he peered out from the teleporter, giving Dempsey an exasperated look.

"Ja, ja. I vill keep doing zhe Nazi stuff, now LEAVE! I have work to do," Richtofen growled to the American, who shrugged and walked off with the others. Leah cast a look at Takeo, and after a moment the Captain sighed and nodded.

"Let us explore, and seek out what we can." Takeo murmured, moving his MP40 to his back but drawing his sword. Leah took a moment to admire the beautiful and deadly weapon as Takeo flipped it in his hand expertly.

"Y-yeah. Let's go this way." Leah said as she walked towards the front of the theater, followed by the Japanese warrior, who cast a look back at the German behind him before turning his sight to the women in front of him.

Richtofen watched all of them walk away and sighed with relief. Finally…solitude. Richtofen turned back to the machine in front of him, one he was familiar with in ways that excited him in a totally nonsexual manner.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small recording device that he had developed many years ago and pressed the red button on the side down, beginning a new recording.

"Entry 741021! Perhaps the Station will hold the key to the _real_ goals of Group 935. I still do not trust my unconventional allies, but they are of great use to me. But, I digress." Richtofen mused, smiling to himself as he continued.

"Who would have thought that the MDT was capable of time travel? How many stations does this group have? Where did that little girl disappear to?" Richtofen asked himself, despite knowing the answer to the last two questions. Damn them…damn Maxis and his accursed brat!

"Only time will tell what new questions await us in this…THEATER OF THE DAMNED!" Richtofen snarled as the voices whispered in his head and he cut off the recording, laughing to himself a few moments later as he began his work.

* * *

 _End of Chapter..._

* * *

 _Alright, so let's get right to the Q and A section. I'll make an exception this time around, but please note. All questions in the review section that don't include some sort of feedback on the chapter themselves will be ignored._

 **You said that it was a prequel/Sequel so that mean maybe that the will be moments where they go back when example the last battle for man king in last chapter of Dawn of the Dead. Maybe? I'll just have to see.**

I won't rule that out as a possibility, but keep in mind time travel is a core feature to the zombie storyline. Anything is possible, especially since I'm still so early in the story. But I will say that this story takes place before, during, and after _"Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead."_

 **Will the kids Coke back please do because they were badass**

Tentatively, they will not be making an appearance. I can possibly do a cameo, but this story focuses on a new group of characters and on a part of the story that I wanted explored, especially since the concept of alternate timelines was finally confirmed, meaning I was totally right. ;D

 **Let me guess Harvey yena will the shadows of evil characters come in Floyd Campbell is to badass to leave out**

As of now, I will not be putting the Shadows of Evil crew into the story. Mainly just because it seems like their use to the ongoing storyline is done and they won't impact the story further. While I liked them, at least more than I usually do the non-main characters in zombies, I don't care enough about them to put them in the story. The only reason I expanded on the Mobsters in the first book (from Mob of the Dead) was because I felt they were very interesting characters and felt a connection with them that I also felt with the main characters. In fact, one of my favorite chapters I've ever done was the conclusion of their story, Chapter 34. As for Harvey Yena being in the story, we'll see.

 _That's all for this Q and A. Stay tuned for more zombie awesomeness. Please show some love with a review, favorite or a follow. And be sure to check out my other stories as well._

 _Stay awesome, folks._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	4. Around the Campfire

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Howdy folks. Another chapter of SS coming your way._

 _So basically in news of my life this past week, I quit my job. Yeah, not something I really wanted to do, but I was forced to make a call and decided taking care of my family took precedence over my job. It was a call I don't regret, because I've only got one dad and I'm gonna make sure he gets better. Luckily, this means I'm ahead on writing for the first time in a while._

 _Anyway, onto other topics._

 _So, I figured I should tell you folks some stuff that's relevant to the story._

 _Now, this story doesn't quite 100% sync up with Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead, and I know that very well. Which is why by the next update, up to chapter 15 will be updated and revised with fixes that will allow it to flow seamlessly into this next story. I will continue to update those who follow this story on which chapters have been revised so that, if you want to, can check out the revised chapters. Yeah, its not a perfect fix, but then I wrote the last story while Black Ops II wasn't even announced, and then had the game finished before I was done. So…yeah. There won't be any game-breaking revisions, so don't worry. But it's really the only way I can think of to make the two stories be as cohesive as possible._

 _Obviously one of the big errors is that the color of Element 115 is blue, not green and other colors as I've stated before, and Richtofen's signature aura is the wrong color (green, rather than blue). Mainly, that was due to it not really having been seen in its blue form until Origins. Other than that, it was just the grey-ish black meteors with some fire on them. You know, the Easter Egg song rocks. So I think that's not a horrible mistake to make._

 _Another point to make is that this story and the story before it are in their own timeline and universe, and so some things are different than how they are in canon (Black Ops I and Black Ops II). After the crew arrived in the future, which I've established before as 1963, they remain in this time from aside from when they go to Call of the Dead._

 _This timeline seriously gives me such a headache…_

 _Sidenote: I am aware that Japanese is a bit of a tricky language and just having them say what they mean in English won't match up perfectly, but for the sake of not making me or you all do extra homework, dialogue spoken in other languages will be in parenthesis. Not sure if that counts for German, so we'll see in the future. Just roll with it._

 _Shoutout to the lovelies that reviewed last chapter, which included a Guest reviewer, Zhepsy, The Nerfanator, and three new reviewers known as I'm just another fan, RandomName3064 (welcome back!), as well as a guest reviewer known as Alexpowell115. Thanks for the support and the feedback!_

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 4: Around the Campfire_

* * *

" _Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."_ \- Helen Keller.

* * *

"Well…its official. This place is creepy as hell," Leah remarked as she carefully stepped through one of the barriers in the foyer, accessing a previously inaccessible part of the theater. Takeo made his way through it as well, carefully eyeing the dusty and dilapidated area with distaste.

"Hmph. We should continue searching for secrets, in this cursed place." Takeo said as he glanced down the nearby hallway before turning forward and walking down another hallway, leading to a series of bedrooms. Leah allowed Takeo to take point as he opened the door and flicked on the light. It was an empty room with a bed on a spring mattress frame. The duo repeated the process down the hall, finding nothing but empty bedrooms that had been abandoned for what seemed like years.

"Why are we heading down here?" Leah asked the samurai as he made to go down a grand, but decayed, stairway. Takeo shrugged in reply, causing Leah to roll her eyes. The duo made their way down the stairs and ended up a small storage room of sorts filled with props and masks. A quick search turned up nothing of use, all of the props having been damaged. Leah and Takeo exited the room, and began searching down the new hall for anything of note.

"I wonder if the others are having better luck than we are," Leah pondered aloud, falling into step next to the warrior.

"Even if not much is found, knowing the lay of land is a must." Takeo said after several moments.

"Well, yeah, but I still think the most interesting things in this place were back where we fought," Leah said slowly. "Anything of use would have likely been scraped or taken when they evacuated this place. I wonder if it was abandoned _before_ the zombies attacked this place…"

Takeo sighed and muttered in Japanese, "(It is a shame that those fools did not see the error of their actions…)"

Leah raised an eyebrow at that and replied quietly, "How so? Do you mean the Nazi's, or do mean Richtofen and the others?"

Takeo froze and slowly turned to face the young woman, who was looking at him with apprehension. Takeo's hand went to his sword, though he simply said, "Can you…understand my words?"

"(Yes,)" Leah replied quietly in Japanese, causing the older warrior's eyes to widen.

"(You…speak the language of my people." Takeo stated, sounding very surprised. Leah offered the warrior a shy smile and replied, "(My parents liked the idea of me having a very well-rounded education. I can speak German, Japanese, Spanish, and a little bit of Latin.)"

"(Impressive…It is comforting to know that in your world, the language I am most familiar with still flourishes. It lets me know that the culture and way of my people is alive and strong.)" Takeo said quietly, smiling to himself a little before looking away.

"(This is the most I have spoken in many days…months, even…It feels good, talking in the language of my people. My words can be spoken however I wish…Maybe this is a workaround to my curse…)" Takeo murmured as they began to walk once more. Leah gave Takeo a confused look, and he elaborated.

"(My mind…my words…Have been damaged…I cannot speak as I wish too…However, speaking in the language of my people seems to not have the same effect. I can speak freely, in this tongue…)" Takeo said in an awed tone, his smile becoming wider.

"(Interesting…It allows you to circumvent whatever is wrong with your mind?)" Leah asked Takeo, who nodded.

"(My mind is…damaged. Frayed…I do not know how, just that the German…Doctor Edward Richtofen, may be responsible. The same applies to the maladies that affect Dempsey and the Russian." Takeo explained as Leah walked up to him. The two began looking into the rooms on the floor once again, keeping up a running conversation as they did so.

"That man seems to be a treasure trove of secrets…" Leah muttered to herself. Maybe there was a way to get the Doctor on her side? Make him open up and reveal what's really going on here. Hell, he looked like he needed a friend anyway. She would have to work on that, with him. After all, everyone needs a bit of kindness every now and then.

"(You seem to be thinking of something…What is on your mind?") Takeo asked Leah.

"Trying to find a way to get some answers. We were thrown into this mess with no idea what's going on…Mister Masaki, we landed smack down into the middle of a war. And I plan on making sure we all survive it." Leah muttered as she walked up to the nearest door, kicking it in. She saw a mirror facing the door, and got a good look at herself in the mirror.

 _"Zombie apocalypse does not look good on me."_ Leah thought as she examined her appearance for a moment. Her brown unbuttoned trench coat was splattered with blood and her black slacks had a small tear on one of the legs towards the bottom. Her face had a few flecks of blood on it and her hair was a mess, her green eyes shown over a pair of black glasses. She undid her hair and fixed it into a better ponytail, taking a few moments to watch herself in the mirror before becoming aware that Takeo was staring at her. Leah looked away and blushed, causing the warrior to laugh quietly, walking down the hallway with Leah catching up a moment later

Leah was surprised when Takeo rested a hand over her shoulder after a few moments and said, "You are strong. And a worthy ally, I am glad to have met."

Leah's mouth twisted in a small grin at the warrior's praise, but she didn't have anything to say to that, really. So the two continued to walk together, enjoying each other's company as they explored the theater's depths.

* * *

Simon and James stepped outside, blinking in the light of the setting sun.

"God its chilly out." James grumbled as he sipped up his black jacket. With just jeans, black work boots, and a tank top underneath his light grey jacket, he was only semi-prepared for the cold anyway. Simon and Dempsey didn't seem to mind it though. The former of whom was in his blue and white Navy fatigues and the other one wasn't wearing much in terms of winter clothes either.

"It's not too bad. A little bit chilly, but nothing crazy. It looks like it's about the end of summer in a place like this, if we're somewhere in Germany. It's a bit cooler up in Europe, right?" Simon asked Dempsey.

"A bit. Suck it up, James, and let's get moving. I want to see what kind of stuff we can get a hold of outside." Dempsey said as they began to scour the area underneath the light of the full moon.

"Looks like the entire area is just devoid of any kinds of life. No animals either. See?" James remarked after a time, gesturing to the empty street the trio found themselves on. It was true, upon reflection. No birds were in the sky, no cats or dogs roaming the city at night. It was as dead as the zombies they had fought but a short time ago.

"Its creepy…Never stops being creepy." Dempsey muttered as he kicked open a shop door and began looking around the inside of it. Anything of use had either been looted or expired, so Dempsey left it alone.

"This is a waste of time, guys…Shit, I'd rather be back at the theater. Its least it was semi-warm in there." James muttered as they walked into another open apartment.

"Oh, stop crying. You're a cop for Christ's sake, suck it up, man." Simon said with a snicker while Dempsey shook his head. James crossed his arms, unamused at the taunting.

"My nipples are frigid, man. Don't fuck with me."

"…"

"…I need an adult."

"I _am_ an adult, Dempsey."

The trio of men, now enveloped in one of the most awkward silences a TeamFourStar joke can make, rummaged through the apartment and found absolutely nothing. Heading back outside, they spent the next twenty minutes carefully checking the surrounding buildings while Dempsey described his previous adventures.

"Yeah…Not gonna lie, this took an even bigger turn for the weird." Dempsey admitted as they stepped back outside, eyeing the full moon in the sky.

"I think between all of us, we can piece this mess together. First things first…we need to find a ride and some food," James added after a few moments of walking into the abandoned alley they were in. After a few more minutes, Dempsey broke off from the group and walked off in a totally different direction.

"Uhh…Tank?" Simon asked after a beat.

Dempsey silently motioned for the two men to follow him as he walked over to a side of one of the buildings closest to the theater they had fought in earlier. A small sign written in German with the picture of a small car on it was hanging on the side of the building, indicating an area they hadn't gone to yet.

"See the picture? Might be a motor pool...Weapons out." Dempsey muttered as he raised his Galil, making his way towards the side of the building. James and Simon followed, weapons raised as they walked down the gravel road. As the neared the building and turned around the wall, they all saw a large object covered by a large grey tarp, which Dempsey grabbed and carefully removed a moment later.

"Well, I'll be damned." Dempsey chuckled, tossing the tarp aside to look at their nearest find.

It was an old French military transport, a rather large grey truck with faded camo on the sides. It was a two-seater up front with a large bed in the back that could probably set up to 16 people with room to spare. While it could have been in better shape, this was certainly the sort of thing they were looking for.

"That'll work…yeah…that'll definitely work," Simon remarked as Dempsey walked over to vehicle eagerly. The marine then slapped himself in the forehead and swore.

"Shit…I don't have my license on me." Dempsey sighed, kicking the vehicle as he leaned against it.

"It's a zombie apocalypse, man. Why the hell would they ask for your license?" James asked Dempsey with an amused smirk.

"Uh…well…That's a good point." Dempsey admitted with a light chuckle, getting off of the transport.

"Well, we've got a ride out of here. I say that we fix her up and get out of here. We should probably scour the place for tools. Who's best with vehicles here?" James asked the two other men. Dempsey smirked and jerked a thumb towards his chest.

"Not gonna brag, but I used to restore old cars with my pop back in the day, before I joined up. It's been a while, but I should be able to get this old gal up and running in no time," the marine said as he cracked his fingers.

"That's a start. James, come on. Let's see if we can find some tools while Dempsey gets a look at the damage." Simon said to his friend as Dempsey popped the hood of the truck. The duo walked back inside of the theater and left Dempsey to scope out the truck.

"What do you think, man? About all the stuff going on?" James asked Simon. The sailor shook his head, running a hand through his short black hair.

"Richtofen knows what's going on here. I'm sure of it. The others mentioned that the zombies are his doing, meaning the other stuff might be as well. But…there were zombies attacking in our time too. And don't forget that tentacle thing…It didn't sound anything like the Doctor, though. I mean I could be wrong, but the two don't seem connected, do they?" Simon asked James. The cop shook his head as he opened a nearby door marked with two wrench symbols, where spare parts to the garage were kept.

"I think that's another issue altogether. I think we should all get together later and put our heads together. If not tonight, then another night when we're better situated. Between us, we can figure out a plan of attack." James replied as Simon flicked on the lights, coughing as dust filled his lungs.

"God, how long has this place been abandoned?" Simon hacked as he waved his arms.

James chuckled as he lifted his shirt over his nose, walking past his friend and picking some old-looking tools in the side of the room. He tossed those into a toolbox and picked it up with ease, walking past his friend and out of the room. James looked back into the room for a moment, reaching towards the light switch, but noticed a few papers on the table. James walked into the room and examined the papers, raising an eyebrow. He saw pictures of the strange device that was inside of the main theater room they had appeared in, and that the Doctor was currently working on.

"Hey! Come back, I found something." James called to Simon, who walked back into the room.

"Look familiar?" James asked, showing Simon the paper with the picture of the Teleporter on it. Simon grabbed the paper and looked at it for a few moments.

"Well, it's interesting, but I have no idea what it says. That's absolutely the Teleporter Dempsey talked to us about…Can you read German?" Simon asked James, who shrugged.

"Leah can. You think those are important?" James asked. Simon nodded and set them in a folder and picked it up.

"Maybe. Let's get back to Dempsey and ask him some questions. Maybe between all of us, we can either sort this out or find a way home." Simon said as he walked out of the room, his best friend right behind him.

* * *

"Heya big guy, wait up," Amy laughed as Nikolai turned a corner up ahead. She had to admit, the place they were in was incredibly interesting. Nikolai wasn't too interested in sightseeing, however, and was more concerned about finding more booze. Specifically vodka for some reason. She walked out of the hallway and found Nikolai in a large kitchen downstairs, thankfully cleaner than the one they had come across earlier in the room with the Speed Cola.

"So you think we'll find some vodka in this place?" Amy asked the Russian. Nikolai nodded as he went into a backroom, stumbling slightly as Amy leapt through the broken door to the back with ease.

"You know, we should probably be looking for some food. I know I'm getting hungry." Amy remarked as they entered a kitchen of sorts. Amy's eyes caught sight of something welcome in this dreary place, and she spoke up.

"And these gloves are now mine. Score…" Amy said as she picked up a pair of black fingerless gloves of off a nearby table. She spotted Nikolai watching her, so she held her hand out with the palm up and slipped on the glove before doing the same to the other one, flexing them both.

"Fingerless gloves? Does that not defeat the point of gloves in first place?" Nikolai asked, confused.

"Nah. These are just way more comfortable. Plus, I'm probably going to be handling more weapons, so…" Amy simply shrugged and asked, "Anyway, did you find anything useful?"

"Nothing so far, but Nikolai refuses to give up. He will find vodka somewhere. You should look for food in this creepy place, da?"

Amy nodded and began rummaging through the pantries and cupboards, not finding anything that wasn't spoiled or ruined from age. This place hadn't been taken care of in a while, so it was unlikely they would find anything, but it was worth looking anyway.

"Leah should be doing this. She's way savvier than I am when it comes to survival and foods and stuff," Amy sighed as she opened a cupboard off to the side of the room. Amy peered into it and did a fist-pump of victory at her find.

"Ah ha! Discovery, motherfucker." Amy grinned at what she saw as she reached inside, pulling out a massive bag of white rice that seemed to still be in good condition. Amy stumbled as the weight of the rice caught her off balance, but she was steadied by Nikolai, having crossed the room when Amy mentioned finding something.

"Thanks. Looks like we've got dinner. I'm sure we can find something to eat with this, but rice keeps forever and can be cooked with a lot of stuff. Grab the other bags out, would you?" Amy asked the Russian. Nikolai obliged, grabbing the bags with ease and setting them down on the counter. The duo scoured the rest of the kitchen, finding a small glass jar of honey, a few bags of beans, and a great big container of salt.

"Progress. Awesome. Let's check out the freezer…" Amy muttered as she sauntered over to the other side of the room. Nikolai followed the woman, lacking anything else to do.

"So, what can you tell me about yourself, Nikolai?" Amy asked the Russian.

Nikolai grunted in reply before saying, "I am proud Russian. A killing machine who will stop this bloodshed and return home once more. But first, vodka."

"I guess that'll work, then. By the way, above you." Amy said as she pointed to a small open cupboard above the Russian. Nikolai grinned as he opened the cupboard further and found several bottles of vodka.

"Haha! Excellent! Vodka for Nikolai!" the Russian yelled out. Amy peered inside the freezer, amused at the large Russian as he grabbed a bottle of vodka off of the shelf and downed half of it, grinning happily.

"Da. It is good. Nikolai thanks you, Amy." Nikolai said happily, a wide smile on his face.

"No worries, big guy. Always happy to help," Amy said as she sauntered into the freezer, looking around it and shivering as she entered. She spotted several crates in the corner of the room and quickly made her way to them with Nikolai close behind.

"Jackpot…looks like they were keeping some food in the freezer here. I'm not going to question how this still works with the power being off for god knows how long. Maybe backup generators somewhere?" Amy wondered aloud, knowing Nikolai wasn't paying any attention at all. She found several boxes of frozen pasta and noodles in the crates.

"Score. This is good. On top of what we found already, we'll be OK in terms of food. At least for now, since this stuff keeps for ages." Amy remarked as she ran out of the freezer, shivering horribly. Nikolai chuckled and walked over to the young woman, hugging her close to him.

"Nikolai shall warm you. So, you have found food for us?" Nikolai asked the shivering Brit in his arms.

"Y-yeah. We can gather it up here and bring back some of the others to wherever we're staying for the night," Amy muttered. She broke away from Nikolai a minute later after she warmed back up, nodding in thanks at the Russian, who took a sip of vodka and shrugged.

"So is vodka really that good? I've never been a big alcohol fan myself." Amy asked Nikolai as they began piling all of the food they had gathered in the kitchen in one spot for later.

"It is wonderful drink. There is plenty in that space, Amy. You should try some, before Nikolai drinks it all!" the Russian laughed.

Amy put a finger on her chin for a moment before she walked over to the alcohol shelf and grabbed one of the bottles of vodka there. She carefully opened it and after a seconds hesitation, took a small sip before shuddering horribly a moment later.

"God damn…That is some strong stuff…bleh…" Amy coughed as she handed the bottle to a snickering Nikolai.

"Aw, poor little lady cannot handle her vodka?" Nikolai chuckled as Amy's eyes rolled.

"Come on, smelly. Let's get word back to the others. We'll figure out what to take and what to keep here when we touch base with them. At least we know it's here," Amy said to the Russian, walking out of the kitchen. Nikolai followed close behind, his arms filled with bottles of vodka.

* * *

"Tinkering with things was always a hobby of mine…It's a shame I never got to make a better version of zhe Wunderwaffe DG-2. It would have been _glorious_ ," Richtofen muttered as he grabbed a screwdriver from the floor before reaching back into the machine's depths.

" _And then Maxis ruined it all…"_ the voices in his head hissed. Richtofen slumped forward as the room swam before him.

"Ugh, shut up already!"Richtofen barked, shaking his head as it throbbed in pain and he regained his bearings. Thankfully, the voices obliged and allowed the Nazi some peace, which surprised him. He wasn't going to complain though. The Nazi worked in blissful silence for about an hour before a familiar presence entered his mind, making him smile slightly.

" _The others have left the area. May I approach, Doctor?"_

"Ah…Illuzio, you may approach." Richtofen murmured as he straightened up, cracking his back and turning around as flash of green light blinded him for a moment. Richtofen winced at the light, but it faded after a moment and revealed a young man dressed like a jester. He took off his hat with a flourish, making it vanish in a flash of green light.

"So…What was that bit about not needing my assistance with Samantha?" Illuzio chuckled, floating a few inches off of the ground.

"I vas wrong, my magical friend. Your assistance would have prevented zhis entire mess…Ah well. It is not the time to dwell in the past, of what could have been prevented. We must now look to the future, to see if we can still fix zhis mess," Richtofen said to the jester. Illuzio landed on the ground with a small grunt before replying.

"Well…As a member of Group 935, I suppose it's my duty to inform you that the survivors are safe and sound in a safe location in America." Illuzio replied.

"You brought zhem to this time? Vhat year is it?"

"1963. The zombie plague has consumed a great deal of the planet. The entire world is basically a war zone at the moment. This area in particular was abandoned once the zombies took over. Samantha has been busy since you left The Giant all those years ago, Doctor." Illuzio explained.

"Speaking of…your little vanishing act at Der Reise did not go unnoticed. Be more careful next time." Richtofen scolded the young man. The jester nodded after a moment as he looked up towards the chandelier on the ceiling.

"I'll work on that. Time travel magic is difficult at best and something I haven't practiced recently. I haven't been this taxed on strength in a long time. I'm glad I managed to keep the spell stable enough to get everyone to the future," Illuzio admitted as he leaned against the wall, sighing deeply, allowing his cheerfulness to fall and his exhaustion to show.

"Rest then, my friend…We should be able to make our way to the moon from the Teleporter here. If not…I believe I know of a place we should be able to find another model of the M.T.D. Both Griffin Castle and Griffin Central are good places to find zhem, I believe…calibrating the Teleporters and ensuring that there is enough Element 115 around to power them is another matter entirely…" Richtofen replied quietly.

"Griffin…Central?" Illuzio asked, sounding confused.

"Trust me, you do _not_ vant to go to zhere. Fools run zhe place, despite how advanced their research is. Or was, I suppose. If I recall they were working on advanced models of the Panzar Soldat and the Ray Gun and were making headway on some other projects. Yena is familiar with the facility more so than I ever was," Richtofen explained.

"What all do they do there? Surely that's not all they do there?" Iluzio asked curiously.

"Well…zhey research artifacts of great importance and power. Such examples are things like the legendary Elemental Staff of Magnus, or zhe Skull of Nan Supwe. We do not even know if they exist within zhis dimension, so why bother?" Richtofen mused as he removed a panel off of the Teleporter's side and clambered inside of the device.

"Do you need some light, Edward?" Illuzio asked.

"Yes, Johnathan. Zhat would help." Richtofen winced as the room brightened considerably, the chandelier on the ceiling now illuminated.

"Much better…" Richtofen said as he peered inside of the device, smiling as he reached inside of the device.

Illuzio watched the Doctor work for a time before saying, "So, what do you make of this place?"

"It means zhat Maxis had done vhat I did…Master teleportation. Zhis teleporter was set up for the purpose of demonstration to zhe Nazi's, I am sure of it…But can it be repurposed for our needs?" Richtofen mused before he put a hand to his head, wincing in pain.

"Edward? Are you alright?" Illuzio asked, concerned as the Nazi breathed out deeply.

"Agh…zhese voices…zhey do not cease. They attack my mind every single time I think I can get a moment's peace…" Richtofen growled, banging his head against the metal of the Teleporter.

" _Is that because of us, or you?"_

" _Foolish jester, so trusting and loyal…"_

" _A true friend…or is he?"_

Richtofen closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply as he struggled to keep in control of his own mind. The insanity that had been brought upon him from the M.P.D was, at times like this, enough to push him over the edge and make him lose control. As he opened his eyes again, he felt a hand clamp down on his forehead.

" **Shual kana sene…shalana nuno kzlak…"** Illuzio whispered as his hand glowed bright green Richtofen felt the whispers in his mind fall silent as the pain in his head lessened considerably.

"That device you touched was evil, Edward. Ever since that moment, it's corrupted your mind." Illuzio muttered, drawing his hand away from his friend.

"Vhat…did you do?" Richtofen groaned, holding his head in his hands and looking at the jester.

"Suppressed the darkness in your mind. It's an old spell, one I barely remember. It's only temporary, but it should offer you some respite from the pain, at least until it can be neutralized for good…Though I admit, with all of the exposure to Element 115, you may never recover entirely." Illuzio admitted with a pained look to his friend.

"I am aware…Having friends by my side helps, though…" Richtofen said quietly before shaking his head, laughing to himself. "I am getting sentimental, hahaha! I am a _monster_ , Illuzio. A killer. A sadist. I want to destroy anything zhat stands between me and what is mine. I am and forever will be a broken and damaged soul." Richtofen said as he looked away.

"I'll look into it. You've done too much for me not to find some way to make you better. You've always done right by me, Edward. I'll come through for you, one way or another." Illuzio promised. Richtofen nodded as he turned around, making his way back within the depths of the Teleporter.

"Did you find any other survivors?" Richtofen asked the jester after a few moments.

"None, as far as I can tell. Yena, Porter, and Sophia were the only ones besides us that survived, as far as I can tell. There's a few of us that may be at other facilities, but even with magic, it's like finding a needle in a haystack." Illuizo replied as Richtofen made his way out of the device.

"See to it zhat the others are taken care of. I do not want zhem to get involved. Tell them to begin preparing some sort of base. Wherever they will not be caught by the undead. Consult with Yena and Porter about possible plans of action. I can manage on my own for a little while, but return as soon as possible. I vill need to think on where to go from here…so much to do, so little time," Richtofen murmured as Illuzio approached him. Richtofen pressed his forehead against the cool metal as a hand rested on his shoulder.

"You're not alone in this, Doctor…You're never alone, my friend. Ever. Remember that me and the remainder of Group 935 stand with you." Illuzio said as he embraced his friend for a few moments before breaking the hug, taking a few steps back. The man closed his eyes tight and held his hands out to his sides, glowing bright green before vanishing in a great flash of light.

Leaving Edward Richtofen alone once again with nothing but the voices in his head that would no doubt come back within just a few hours. The scientist bowed his head for a moment, wondering for a moment if he made a mistake in sending his only true ally in this mess away like that before shaking his head again. It did not do to dwell on the past.

Only by moving forward could this mess by fixed. Samantha must be taken care of and the energies within the M.P.D must be brought under his control. As to what happened there, as a being of immense power…well he would see.

* * *

Several Hours Later:

* * *

"Why do I have to do all of the heavy lifting, again?"

"Because I said so."

"…You're such a manipulative little…"

Leah and Nikolai snickered in the corner of the room they were in now, watching Simon drag in a large armchair into the room. Between them, they had moved several chairs and couches into the room to serve as beds while Takeo and James made dinner around a campfire they made, keeping the room illuminated and keeping them warm. Some cooked rice with a few seasonings they had found in the larder. Not exactly delicious, but there was plenty of it and it was something.

They were camped in a room on the first floor, not too far from where they had been fighting earlier. The room they were in had one way in and out with two windows, so it was easily defendable if something happened and there was an exit not too far from their location, making it a good place to make camp for the night. It was one of the nicer and less ruined rooms they had come across, though mostly empty, which made it easier for them to drag in furniture to use as makeshift beds.

"Come on, Simon. Less bitching, more moving!" Amy cheered. Leah giggled next to Dempsey while he watched from the corner of the room, having already finished moving his couches.

"You're glad I'm such a nice guy, you limey witch." Simon muttered while Amy made a whip-like gesture with her hands, causing the rest of the room to erupt in laughter, save Takeo (though he did smile a little at that.)

"Alright. Done." Simon huffed as he collapsed on the couch.

"Excellent!" Amy cried out, flopping down on top of Simon, causing the sailor to grunt in pain. Amy coyly looked up into the face of the annoyed sailor, giggling before licking him on the nose, causing him to blush bright pink.

"Daw, should we leave you two alone?" Leah laughed at the two friends. Amy replied by stretching her arms out and wrapping them around Simon's neck, nuzzling him.

"I wouldn't mind if you watched. Hell, you can join in and finally pop your cherry, Leah!" Amy chirped, causing the CSI Agent to blush crimson and sputter like a schoolgirl. Nikolai chuckled at that while Takeo simply shook his head, trying not to laugh himself at the antics of the younger adults in their group.

"While you dorks keep flirting, I should let you know dinner is ready," James said as he added a few more dashes of salt to the big pot of rice they had been cooking. Leah walked over to the pot, inspecting it after she composed herself enough to speak.

"My compliments to the chefs," Leah said appreciatively to Takeo and James, earning a nod from both men.

"It is simple, but it will suffice." Takeo remarked, his voice quiet.

"Once we have an idea of where to go next, we can stock up on some essentials." James replied as he began dumping rice into bowls and handing out utensils recovered from the theater, dust-covered but after being rinsed off, relatively clean.

"Oh shit!" Leah yelled out suddenly, slapping her forehead out of nowhere. She ran into the other room, disappearing for several moments, before running back into the room with her survival backpack. She unzipped it and rummaged inside of it, pulling out a small kit made of metal and plastic.

"I packed a Spice Kit for my trip. Totally forgot about it until now. Help yourselves, everyone. Just try and save some for later, at least until we can stock more stuff up." Leah said to the others. After everyone added a bit of spice to their meals, they dug in.

"Ah…Could use a bit of meat and maybe a cold beer to top it off, but it'll do just fine. Thanks you three," Dempsey said to the two men and Leah with a grateful nod as he set his bowl to the side, having finished three entire bowls. Leah grabbed her Spice Kit back and put it in her bag before taking out two heavy duty containers and putting some of the leftover rice from the back inside of it.

"No problem man. I always loved to cook, growing up. My mom made sure me and my brothers could make a meal if we needed to," James said quietly with a small smile on his face.

"Sounds like a smart lady." Dempsey noted.

"She was. Sweet, loving, but always knew when to let us know if we were being stupid. God, I miss her…" James sighed. Takeo, Nikolai, and Dempsey exchanged a brief look, caught off guard by that.

"Sorry for your loss," Dempsey muttered a few moments later.

"Don't be. Cancer took her. She fought like hell until the end. It would've been a year this Christmas Eve, back in our time. She's in a better place…it hurts, but time heals all wounds I guess…" James replied before he waved a hand. "Don't be ruining the decent mood we have though. The past is in the past. We learn from it. Appreciate it. How about you guys?"

"What about us?" Dempsey asked.

"Did you leave family behind?" James asked the marine.

"…Well, I think we all did. At this point, we're so far into the future and zombies have taken control of the planet that our families have…probably moved on. Hell…" Dempsey looked down at the ground for a few moments before shaking his head. "We've…got a mission to finish. Stop this craziness once and for fucking all…"

"So you hide it away…" Leah said quietly, closing her eyes. Dempsey looked at her for a few moments before sighing.

"I guess. I don't remember a lot about the past, to be honest. It's hard to remember things from before a few weeks ago. And even then, this is the first time we've had a chance to rest. Its usually go go go…Where the hell do we go from here, though?"

"Oh right. Leah, I found some papers earlier when we found the truck. They're in German, though. Think you can check them out?" Simon asked as James pulled out the file underneath the couch he was sitting on and handed it the Agent.

"Yeah…give me a bit…" Leah muttered, opening the file up.

"Ahh…I love a good campfire!"

Everyone turned around to see Richtofen slowly emerge from the shadows, smiling faintly. He sat down next to Leah and Takeo, regarding the others with veiled contempt. The three older soldiers regarded the man with distrust evident in their eyes, but were surprised when Leah broke the silence, setting down the file in her lap.

"We were able to find some food in the kitchens, Doctor. We left plenty for you and it's still warm, so help yourself." Leah said quietly, causing the Nazi to lift an eyebrow in surprise.

"I…Appreciate zhat, Leah…Thank you." Richtofen said slowly, as if unsure of how to respond to that. Leah nodded in reply, and Richtofen sat down on the floor, looking tired but satisfied with how the day had gone. Amy passed Richtofen the last bowl they had acquired from the kitchens and the Nazi helped himself to some dinner while the others caught him up on the conversation. Leah tossed Richtofen the Spice Kit, which he took with wonder.

"How zhe times have changed…You thought ahead? How did you know you would need zhis sort of thing?" Richtofen asked, confused as he examined the contents of the Spice Kit, scooping some assorted spices with the small spoon the kit had and dumping them into his bowl.

"I was going camping for the weekend before this happened. I packed ahead of time, and invested in a mobile Spice Kit. I've got some more stuff in here that should be helpful, if we need it." Leah explained as Richtofen passed the Spice Kit it back to her and hungrily ate his food while it was still warm. Leah returned to reading the sheet of paper from the folder she had in her lap.

"Well…before you arrived, we were trying to just talk a bit more about ourselves. Since, you know, we're kinda joining forces to figure out what the hell is going on here," Simon explained to Richtofen, who nodded.

"We found some files in one of the other rooms. Leah knows German, and I know you do as well since you're a Nazi. Between the two of you, we can make some sense of where and when we are." Simon said to the Doctor, pointing over to Leah.

"So what's the verdict?" James asked his friend.

"August 1963," Richtofen said in reply.

"In West Berlin, Germany." Leah piped up, looking up from the files.

"Wow…so far in time…" James said quietly, sounding awed. "We got ripped from our time and thrown 48 years into the past."

"Fascinating...I wonder what brought you here..." Richtofen murmured before he shook his head. Leah took that as a cue to continue.

"Yep. Looks like this theater was abandoned when the zombies attacked. The Teleporter was to be a demonstration of the power of something called Element 115. This was to revolutionize science and warfare."

"And?" James prompted.

"Not much more than that, but this goes on to say that the Teleporter was recreated from a model found in a facility elsewhere in Germany, many years ago. Some notes scrabbled here and there suggest the Americans and Russians were very interested in what was going on…Doctor Richtofen, do you have anything to add on this?"

"Vhat do you mean?" Richtofen said quietly starring at the Korean woman, his electric blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because I've been watching your face the entire time, and this information means something to you. I'm very good at my job, Doctor…" Leah said with a small smile as she closed the file, tossing it to Richtofen. The German flipped it open and scanned it, speedily reading over the notes.

" _It appears they were trying to salvage what we left behind, to combat the zombie threat…Or to add it to their own gains?"_ Richtofen thought as he read over the last of the papers, his mind racing. He needed more information, damn it!

"I see…Well, I don't really have much to explain to you all. I am a doctor and a former Nazi, and I have a vested interest in making sure those behind zhe undead attacks are stopped and punished."

"Funny that you say that, Doc, since you know- you helped fucking start it," Dempsey growled.

"Do you have proof of this?" Simon asked the marine, who let out a harsh laugh.

"He's told us, that much. He's the puppet-master behind this whole fucking show." Dempsey hissed, venom poisoning every word that he spat at the Nazi. Richtofen, for his part, sat in silence and watched Dempsey with mild amusement on his face before speaking in a quiet and low voice.

"Before all of zhis…I vas a scientist. I worked together with my comrades to create instruments of war for Germany. We were called Group 935…As time passed…we moved onto another goal. The improvement of the human condition. To improve zhe life of humans everywhere through zhe means of pure science. A goal my comrades and I dedicated our lives to. But…However noble our goals and however promising our research was…it was not to be. Darkness fell upon our group as we meddled with forces beyond our comprehension, and from there is where zhis miss began. The entirety of my tale is complex and not all of the secrets within it are mine to tell…But rest assured this mess was not my intention, and I resolve to fix my mistake."

"So how do you know these three, Doctor?" Leah asked Richtofen, who chuckled.

"I was aware that three skilled soldiers were captured and used as test subjects within Group 935, the organization I was once a part of. I decided that I needed as much help as I could get, and freed them. They should be grateful they haven't starved to death within a cell," Richtofen remarked with a small laugh, causing Dempsey to jump to his feet.

" _Fuck. You. Richtofen!_ " Dempsey snarled, taking two steps towards the Nazi before he found James in front of him. Dempsey stared the cop in the eyes, as if daring him to stay in his way.

"Back off, _soldier_. We need him. For now," James said in a low voice.

"Oh yeah?" Dempsey whispered, his tone challenging.

"Yeah. I don't care if you're a marine. I will drop your ass if you don't sit the fuck back down." James said quietly, a confident smile on his face. Dempsey smirked at that and to everyone's surprise, took a few steps back and sat down, eyeing James with what seemed like respect in his eyes.

"Alright, you all need to take a chill pill and relax. We survived the first few waves of zombies, we've got some extra food and supplies, and we've got a better grasp on the situation than we did before the beginning of the day. I say, we get some sleep and figure this out when we've got rest. OK?" Leah said diplomatically.

"I'll take first watch! Go on, guys. Get some sleep," Amy volunteered, crossing her legs. The others exchanged a few silent looks, debating whether or not to just go along with it.

"Hmm…Ve should do watch in pairs. Does anyone vant to keep her company?" Richtofen asked the group.

"I'd offer, Ames, but work was a bitch today and I'm running on empty. Especially after this…" Simon muttered as he laid down on the couch, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. He was asleep within moments. Takeo shifted slightly, stirring for the first time since they sat down together.

"I shall stay awake with you. Together, we shall remain vigilant in the wake of night." Takeo offered, his voice practically a whisper as he rose to his feet, rolling his neck for a moment.

"Keep your weapons close, and wake us up the second anything happens. Richtofen, what do you think our time frame here is?" Dempsey asked the scientist with a slight growl of hate in his voice. Richtofen rolled his eyes as he draped his coat over himself as a makeshift blanket on the sofa he was now on.

"8 hours or so, by my estimate. Happy nightmares, Dempsey." Richtofen huffed as he closed his eyes and faced away from the marine. Dempsey flipped him off with both hands before lying down on the floor with a tired groan, shifting on the dusty cushions he was on.

"8 hours then…wake me and Simon up for the next watch in two hours, alright?" the marine said to the others.

"Get some sleep. We'll wake you when its time." Amy said quietly, causing the marine to smile to himself. It was nice to see some cute women again, he had to admit.

"Goodnight folks. Gotta say, it sucks that you're here with us…but I'm glad for the company if anything else." Dempsey grumbled as he closed his eyes.

"Nah, I get what you mean…Christ I'm tired…night…" James muttered as he braced himself against the wall, shutting his eyes. Amy rolled her eyes and looked at Nikolai and Leah. Leah shrugged off her coat and draped it over herself, curling into a ball and snuggling into the armchair she was in.

"Goodnight guys, and Amy. Sweet dreams everyone…" Leah mumbled as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the leather chair, sleep enveloping her within moments.

Nikolai took one final draught from his bottle before pouring the rest of it into his emergency flask of vodka. The man then laid back against the wall and passed out without another word. Amy caught Takeo glaring at the man and shot him a confused look.

"The Russian is disgusting…a dishonorable pig and nothing more," Takeo spat, shaking his head in disgust. His voice was quiet, to avoid waking the others, so Amy spoke quietly as well.

"He's not so bad. He drinks a lot though. What about you, Takeo? Tell me about yourself." Amy said to the warrior as he slowly made his way to the woman, sitting down next to her.

"I am…A loyal and honorable envoy of the Emperor himself. I am his blade. A tool of his will, and the will of my people." Takeo murmured, a proud smile on his lips.

"Wow. Looks like you take your job seriously…Must be nice to have a real purpose. I kinda just drift through life. I like my journalism gig, but I've always wanted something more. Looks like I kinda got my wish, if this mess is any indicator." Amy said with a small laugh. Takeo, however, was pensive.

"We will prevail…I believe in my mission. My path…it may be dark, young one…But I will not falter. Neither shall we." Takeo muttered, his grip on his katana tightening. The warrior then flinched as Amy wrapped an arm around the warrior's chest and gave him a one-armed hug.

"You're too serious, Tak. But seeing someone who's get this on lockdown is nice." Amy replied with a small quiet laugh, causing the warrior's lips to twitch into a very small smile of his own as the young Englishwoman let go of him.

"Tell me…Who are your friends?" Takeo asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Well…We've got James. He's pretty laid back and calm, but he's serious when he needs to be. He's our rock. I guess since he's a cop, that makes sense. But he's really dependable and someone I can count on when I need him. Makes me wonder how he's holding up, in this mess…Out of the four of us, he's the only one with a wife…" Amy murmured, looking worriedly at James. The cop was currently sleeping on a couch and sleeping fitfully.

"The love he has for his wife is strong, it seems. Like the tides under the moon's gaze." Takeo said with a small nod.

"Simon's the smart one, and also a admittedly somewhat nice douche. He's serious and calculating and snarky when he wants to be. And sexy. Me and him…Well, I'm not gonna lie, we dated for a bit. You know, had a relationship. But it didn't last too long because we lived too far apart and I was only in the states for a little while. This summer we were supposed to meet up again, to figure things out and see how things worked between us. I guess we can do that now instead of later." Amy explained as she watched Simon snore loudly from the other side of the room.

"And Leah?" Takeo asked, turning his gaze to the sleeping CIA agent. Leah quietly slumbered, unlike most of the others.

"She's awesome, but also super awkward sometimes and really fun to mess with. Oh yeah, and she's pretty nerdy and basically on par with Simon in terms of intelligence, if I'm being completely frank here. Unlike me, she's a really good girl at heart and just wants what's best for everyone. She worries a lot about people and she comes off as kind of a snob, but she's a sweetheart really," Amy said fondly, shaking her head a little.

"I see…You all have…interesting personalities, to say the least…" Takeo whispered, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "What of you, Amy?"

"Me? God, a lot of things could describe me. Erratic, English, joyful, easygoing, antagonistic, immature, playful. The list goes on and on, Tak. I just like having a good time and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about life. You just have to enjoy what time you have, you know?" Amy laughed quietly at that and fell back on the carpet, sighing deeply and closing her eyes before sitting back up. The conversation died there, and the two remained awake, alert but slowly drowsing as they stared within the depths of the campfire.

Amy's mind wandered, thinking about what was to come and if they would be able to return to the life they once had. Takeo's mind, however, remained focused on the task at hand, and ending this carnage once and for all…Of fulfilling his duty to the Emperor and stopping this mess.

But for the first time in a while he was hopeful that maybe, just maybe…they could put a stop to this evil once and for all.

" _At least I am not alone…"_ Takeo mused as he closed his eyes for a moment, new friends and barely allies around him as he sat next to the flames, aware that in just a few hours' time the bloodshed would begin again.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Another chapter down. Booyah._

 _We'll be returning to the action next chapter, so no worries about that. **Feedback of any kind is necessary before you submit a question in the review section, or it will be ignored.**_

 _Q and A:_

And one question since your open to them: how many hours do you think you spent solely on writing your DOTD story?

 _ **Oh god…A lot of hours. Over the course of nearly 3 years of writing this story and at over 500,000 words? Probably over a 1000 hours at least, just writing the damn thing out and just off the top of my head. And I'm a pretty fast writer as well.**_

 _ **What doesn't get taken into account, though is the time I spend brainstorming and thinking out the plot and intricacies of the story. I'm still proud, despite the need for some editing, of how "Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead" turned out. It was time well-spent in my opinion.**_

Have you heard that there is a new COD gme coming out , its called Call of duty Infinite warfair? And also what COD games do you have?

 _ **I'm well aware that Infinite Warfare is coming out, since I follow COD stuff pretty closely. It looks cool, but I seriously couldn't care less about the campaign. I'll likely get it anyway, because John (yes that John) will likely whine at me until I buy it. Hoping the zombies mode holds up, since Infinity Ward is trying to one-up Treyarch. (Not likely, but hey, we'll see what happens.)**_

 _ **I have Call of Duty: Black Ops (for the PS3 and Xbox 360), Call of Duty: Black Ops II (for PS3 and Xbox 360), and Call of Duty Black Ops III (for Xbox One and PS4, though I only play the former.)**_

Is this the crew Yena kills?

 _ **Pretty sure that Illuzio killed the one crew Samantha mentioned way back. No this is not them, nor is it the squad that Yena murdered when he we corrupted and transformed. The only character from the crew who may have been mentioned in Book 1 was Leah, I believe, and that was in passing and not by name. I won't say who said it though, since it's sort of spoiler related.**_

 _That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned for my zombie killing action. Please review, favorite and/or follow and show your support if you enjoyed this chapter. I also have a twitter at FlygonNick, if you want to do that._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	5. A Sound of Thunder

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Howdy. Update time. Its out a bit later than I would've liked, but I've been a busy beaver this past week._

 _So since the last chapter, I've managed to complete both the Der Eisendrache Easter Egg and the Zetsubou No Shima Easter Egg. Shoutout to CarriedCoin, who provided the backup I needed to beat Der Eisendrache's Easter Egg. John was in on that game too, by the way. I did ZNS solo, after maybe 20 attempts or so. I also managed to beat a Nuzlocke run of Pokémon Red Version. So go me._

 _Anyway, in regards to the edits for Apocalypse DOTD, it just didn't happen this update. Sorry, but I've been busy and I was gone for a week. It'll be done up to at least 10 next update._

 _Also, for references sake. A zombie that has its legs blown off and is crawling around the map is called a crawler. The Nova Gas zombies are called Crawlers, notice the capitalization. Just a heads up._

 _Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes I'm just another fan and a Guest reviewer. Thanks for the feedback and support!_

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 5: A Sound of Thunder_

* * *

" _Karma bides it's time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback."_ \- Benjamin Bayani, _The Nation_ _._

Morning came all too soon, for the 8 adults trapped in their own personal hell. Richtofen and James awoke the group at about 8 or so in the morning, and after taking a few minutes to get their bearings and wake up, they heard a faint child-like yawn echo throughout the air around them.

"Agh, so much for her dying in her sleep," Richtofen muttered under his breath, gripping his MP40 tightly.

"Who?" Amy asked the Doctor, causing the Nazi to snort.

"Samantha…little brat. She is zhe one who commands zhe undead hordes that plague zhis world. How much of zhe world has crumbled to her dark will is…unknown, but I vill stop her," Richtofen said quietly as he looked away. Leah and Simon exchanged a look at that.

"She talked to us when we arrived." James said quietly, crossing his arms and drawing the attention of the rest of the men.

"Vhat!? Vhat did she say?" Richtofen demanded, causing the cop to shake his head.

"She asked us if we were 'Uncle Edward's' friends, or friends of her father. She was curious, if anything else. Scared. In pain. And you know her…" James said with a slight inflection of accusation in his voice.

"I do…or rather I did. She has become something else now. Something that cannot be saved, but can be now is not the time for discussion, as I suspect she will be active in mere moments." Richtofen replied shortly.

"Sounds good to me…Heh, ass-kicking time, part 2!" Dempsey breathed excitedly, slipping on all of his weapons.

"So what the hell were you doing back in Japan and at that other Nazi building, then? Sight-seeing?" Amy asked, earning a dirty look from the marine while Simon, James, and Nikolai cracked up.

"So what do we do when she eventually tires again? Escape this place?" Leah asked the older soldiers.

Richtofen shook his head and replied, "Nein. I am working on zhe Teleporter, which will save us a lot of time and effort. While we fight, we will attempt to link the two sections of the Teleporter together and activate it, in an attempt to end this mess. If it does not go well…Zhen we will have to leave. We have a lot against us, and must be cautious."

"Wait, link the Teleporter? Why didn't you do that earlier?" Amy asked Richtofen. The Nazi opened his mouth to reply, then paused, and closed his mouth. Dempsey and Simon face-palmed in response.

"Well…I guess we'll cross the bridge when we get to it," Leah muttered to herself, not exactly comfortable with that response. She then felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked back to see Takeo looking at her.

"Worry not. Together we are stronger than we would be fighting alone. In the end, good shall prevail over the darkness," Takeo said quietly. Leah gave the samurai a weak smile in reply, and after a moment the warrior walked over to the other side of the room, grabbing a few items and slipping them into a small backpack he had found within the depths of the building earlier the morning. Dempsey then told them a piece of rather uplifting news.

"I snuck away last night after my shift watch and got the truck is all set and ready to go. I actually managed to find a pair of keys for it too. I may have lost a few hours of sleep, but now we've got a ride out of here," Dempsey explained.

"That's great. Let's get some supplies to the thing before Samantha sends more zombies our way. If the Teleporter doesn't work out, then bailing from this place is our only option," Simon replied as he looked to the older soldiers. Nikolai, James, and Leah volunteered for this while everyone else discussed strategy. Richtofen spoke up when the others left.

"I am fine with zhis. I believe going to either the Russians or the Americans would yield promising results, if zhey really tried to steal some of Group 935's work. Zhe Teleporter _should_ work…But if it does not, zhen there is little I can do. I just do not have the tools or the time," Richtofen said as he shook his head.

"You're only human, Doctor. It happens." Simon said as he checked his M16 for a moment before lowering the gun. The group then felt reality warp around them and they were engulfed in a strange shimmer of light. The group's vision distorted for a few moments before they all found themselves in the foyer area of the Theater. Leah caught the group's attention by speaking.

"Just finished loading the last of the supplies into the truck. Its ready to leave whenever we are," she reported as she pulled out her Dragunov, looking through the scope for a moment before lowering the rifle.

"Then let's get ready for the slaughter," Dempsey growled as a strange ripple was sent through the air, closing off the group's means of escape and trapping them within the theater once more.

" **LIARS! You're not friends of my daddy! I'll kill you all! Just like he said too!"** Samantha shouted, her demonic voice filled with fury and hurt.

"More like allies, for the moment. Not sure if we're friends," Nikolai said with a shrug.

"Nikolai, vould you like some vodka?"

"Da! Zhen we are friends, Richtofen!"

"Just kidding! Hahahaha!"

"…That was not funny."

"Samantha! We're trying to help you! Stop this! You're only hurting innocent people!" Simon yelled out at the ghostly child.

"Funny…My daddy was betrayed by people he said were friends. They hurt him. They hurt me…No one is innocent…" Samantha replied in the softest whisper as a mist descended upon the group.

(Round 14)

" **FETCH ME THEIR SOULS!"** Samantha snarled as the squad raised their weapons, backing up to the walls and preparing themselves for the attack. Balls of lightning appeared in the room, carrying the Hellhounds within them as they burst out and lunged at the zombie slayers, each of whom opened fire on any dog in sight. The round ended a minute or so later and after allowing everyone to reload, Richtofen grabbed the Max Ammo.

" **MAX AMMO!"**

"Ugh…We should be training zhem, not killing zhem," Richtofen murmured, shaking his head. The Doctor moved towards the back of the rooms, his stride purposeful. Leah narrowed her eyes and followed him. Zombies began breaking in, and after a moment the squad of civilians and soldiers moved apart, with Leah and Richtofen running into the Theater Room. Simon made a move to follow them, before he spotted a side room that hadn't been opened yet and moved over to it.

"OI! Dickheads! This way!" Simon yelled out as he pressed his hand against the door, causing it to fly open. He emerged in a rundown storage room of sorts that had a large hole in the wall that allowed a clear view outside. A red switch was on the wall, alongside a chalk outline for a gun. Simon reached out and pressed his hand against the chalk outside, pulling away an MPL in the process.

"Excellent. A backup. Now, how to proceed?" Simon muttered as he experimentally fired a few shots of his new gun into the nearby barrier, killing an approaching zombie.

"Maybe by opening the door ahead of you?" Nikolai suggested, walking by the sailor and opening the door with a drunken flourish. The group slowly filed out of the room, with Takeo and Dempsey holding back the undead tide coming from the foyer.

"Die, die, die! Again, again, again!" Dempsey barked as he held down the trigger of his Galil, gleefully blowing the heads off of the zombies raging towards them. Takeo dashed past Dempsey, leaping past him and slashing downwards with his katana, the steel slicing through one of the sneaking undead with ease.

"Begone, foul beast!" Takeo cried as he landed in a crouch next to the Double Tap machine, pressing his hand against it. After a moment, the machine dropped a drink for the warrior, who popped open the cap and drank thirstily. After taking a few moments to hold down this position, the rest of the group all bought a bottle of the Perk-A-Cola, allowing them to shoot at a higher rate of fire.

"That makes no sense, but fuck it, why not?" Simon muttered when Dempsey explained what Double Tap did. Dempsey merely chuckled before he caught sight of a growing horde ahead of them, which he took off to confront, blowing the head off of the lead zombie with his Stakeout as he switched to his other gun and emptied the rest of his remaining Galil ammo into two leaping zombies from above.

"Hoorah! Suck it, you undead nasty sqags!" Dempsey laughed as he sprinted through the alleyway, shooting into the nearby window with his Stakeout and blasting apart the undead within with the remainder of his Galil's ammo. Simon shook his head, but he tossed a grenade into the window for good measure. Dempsey pressed his hand against the gate, causing it to open up and lead the group up a staircase.

"Oh wow. Where are we now?" Amy asked as she peered around the room, looking very interested at their new surroundings.

"Looks like a reel room or something, where they kept extra films, maybe. Let's keep moving-" James began to say before Dempsey cut him off, waving to the group. Dempsey was standing in the corner of the rooming, pointing to a small chunk of glowing charred rock.

"Looks like a piece of the meteor…" Dempsey mused. James was about to respond when several zombies burst into the room from the stairway they had just entered from. Everyone but Dempsey and Amy began firing at the undead, forcing them back into the alleyway.

"That looks…dangerous. Maybe you shouldn't…" Amy said as she neared the charred rock.

"Shit, I've already touched both of the others ones we found. What's the worst that could happen?" Dempsey asked Amy.

"FlygonNick would have to copy and paste the lyrics to 115 into this chapter, and he doesn't feel like doing that right now, especially since he's got songs for all of the other maps to worry about." Amy replied.

"Shit, forgot about that. Let's uh…let's move on then." Dempsey said as he marched to the next door, kicking it open because he could.

"I just can't hold all of these zombies!" James yelled out with a laugh, ripping his HK21 clip out of his gun and slamming a fresh one back into it.

"And like that, I'm bored. Folks, I'm opening a new area! Come on!" Amy yelled out as she skipped past Simon, taking care to slap his bottom as she dashed back. The sailor whirled around, surprised, but Amy was gone into the next room.

"Dude, I can't get a single fucking reading on that chick," Dempsey muttered as he scratched his head, utterly confused.

"…I never did in the first place, Tank." Simon sighed, a faint blush on his face as he marched into the next room, Dempsey smirking behind him.

"She's a keeper."

"Fuck you."

Meanwhile:

"NO! Stay away!" Richtofen screamed, frantically slashing at the undead rushing around him. Samantha seemed to be gunning for him at this point, since most of the undead were trying to overwhelm him. The Nazi ducked as a zombie tried to attack him from behind, only for five more zombies to greet him, from the front.

"Yes…gather around, my children…" Richtofen laughed nervously, his mind racing as he thought of a way out of this mess. Richtofen hissed in frustration as the undead advanced from all sides-

"HEY! GET AWAY FROM THE NAZI!"

Richtofen blinked in surprise as all of the zombies began rushing towards the other side of the stage, revealing Leah holding a very familiar set of bombs.

"Monkey Bombs…Hmph. Do not expect a thank you." Richtofen scoffed as he began chunking grenades towards the undead horde, making sure to grab the Double Points and Insta-Kill next to them. The explosions from the Monkey Bomb and the grenades finished off the rest of the horde for this round.

" **DOUBLE POINTS!"**

" **INSTA-KILL!"**

(Round 16)

"I wasn't expecting one, Doctor. Just stay lively and I won't have to bail you out next time," Leah said with a small smile on her face, her tone teasing as she pulled out her Bowie Knives and sprinted into the fray with yell as zombies began spawning. Richtofen scowled but didn't reply, his grip tightening on his gun as he opened fire once more. His attention was drawn to the rest of the group appearing out of a side door and streaming into the Theater.

"Die, by the hand of Nikolai!" The Russian bellowed as he smashed his Stakeout into the face of a zombie and jammed his Bowie Knife into its face, slashing to the side and sending gore into the air.

"Hey, that rhymed!" Amy chirped as she sprinted past, tossing a grenade past the Russian and blowing apart an approaching zombie that Nikolai beheaded a moment later. Nikolai was about to reply when he heard a yell from nearby.

"Fuck! I'm surrounded!" Dempsey yelled out, eyeing the approaching horde that had trapped him against the wall of the Theater. Dempsey grit his teeth and shot at everything in sight, but the undead would be closing in before he could finish the job.

"Do I have to do everything!?"

To his surprise, Richtofen suddenly ran by, hurling his Bowie Knife at a nearby zombie with one hand and hurling two grenades with his other hand skyward, damaging the Crawlers above that had been planning on dropping down onto the marine from above.

"I vill help you, but only because _I_ want to be zhe one to eat your heart!" Richtofen laughed as he pulled out his MP40, gunning down the Crawlers above as Dempsey fended off the zombies below.

"Don't expect a kiss on the cheek, ya damn Kraut! I'm still going to kick your ass!" Dempsey shot back as he shot himself to safety while Richtofen slaughtered his own creations, insanity gleaming in his eyes as he began laughing.

"YES! DIE! AGAIN UND AGAIN! HAHAHAHAHA!" Richtofen cackled with horrible glee, ripping his knife free from the slain zombie on the ground and bisecting another Nazi with his Bowie Knife as he spun around, gunning down three advancing zombies and mowing them down with a terrifying grin on his face.

Dempsey sprinted to the nearby Mystery Box and rolled on it, only to get a Teddy Bear in response. As Samantha laughed and told Dempsey goodbye, Amy sprinted up to Dempsey and kicked an approaching zombie in the chest before shooting it twice with her SPAS-12.

"Good shot. Come on, help me find this box!" Dempsey growled as he grabbed two grenades from his belt, popping out the pins as he ran towards the edge of the stage and tossed them behind him, damaging the zombies chasing him.

"There's something so beautiful about blowing shit up!" Dempsey laughed, a wide smile on his face as he glanced back and watched the charred zombies stumble to the ground, where they were picked off by Amy. Dempsey then turned around to get a slap in the face from a Nazi zombie that sent him reeling backwards with a hiss. The zombie lunged forward, only for two Bowie Knives to burst out from the zombies chest.

"Not on my watch, you undead scum!" Leah yelled as she slashed out with her Bowie Knives, rending the zombie apart as she turned around, kicking a Crawler in the face as it leapt over the barricade before jamming a knife into its skull.

"…Kid, you're going places," Dempsey said with a slight smile, clapping Leah on the back as he raised his Galil, firing off a few shots to end the round.

"Hey, we're in this together, I guess. I'm used to watching out for the idiots I surround myself with," Leah said with a small laugh as she walked ahead into the foyer. Dempsey's eyes drifted downwards for a few moments, and just as a small perverted grin slipped on his face a hand slapped him on the back of the head. Dempsey glared at the culprit in response, and Takeo just walked past with a little smile on his face.

"Hey, don't tell me you were looking too Tak!" Dempsey called as he jogged after them. The others seemed to have caught on and began making their way out of the room.

"Alright, so…Perks." Leah stated as Takeo walked up next to her.

"Come. We shall acquire what we need from this cursed place. Move quickly!" Takeo said as a shudder rolled through the theater. He spotted Quick Revive behind the bar area and made his way to it, buying a bottle of the drink and downing it, coughing slightly but enjoying the taste of the beverage nevertheless. Amy, Leah, and Simon also made their way to the machine and bought a bottle, but all three of them expressed great disgust with the beverage upon finishing it.

"Oh god, that tasted like liquid death," Amy gagged, trying not to throw up.

"Gah! Nikolai is out of ammo! Wait, I have vodka still. All is not lost!" Nikolai remarked as he ran up the staircase, stumbling forward and buying the M14 off of the wall.

"It will do. Now, come comrades!" Nikolai yelled out as he staggered forward, firing repeatedly into the next room and actually ending the round. The rest of the group made their way after the Russian.

(Round 17)

"Oh hey, there's that Mule Kick thing again." Amy chirped as she ran ahead of Nikolai, firing two shots into the ceiling and blowing apart the Nazi zombie leaping down from above. Leah examined the machine, particularly the symbol on the machine, which showed three pistols stacked on top of one another. Taking a chance, she bought a bottle of the beverage and downed it.

"How's it taste?" James asked Leah, who replied, "Tastes like beer and soda…it's a bit odd."

"I shall try it!" Nikolai proclaimed, buying a bottle of the beverage as well. Richtofen, Dempsey, and James all bought a bottle of the beverage as well.

"I feel a bit stronger. Huh," James muttered, flexing his hands for a moment before a zombie leapt down from the ceiling and snarled at them, only for Amy to kick it in the face and James to blast it in the face with his HK21.

"Let's move people! Leah, Amy! You take point! Me and Tak will cover the rear!" Dempsey said as more zombies began rushing into their location. The group quickly began making their way down the stairs, desperately fending off the rampaging undead as an audible snarl of frustration from Samantha as the zombie slayers continue to hold back the undead tide she kept sending their way.

"There's the box!" James said as he ran over to it and pressed a hand against the top, causing it to fly open as he opened fire with the HK21 with his other hand. He was rewarded with a China Lake from the Mystery Box, which he took.

"Let's blow these assholes straight back to hell!" James yelled as he fired a grenade from the China Lake at the staircase, blowing a crowd of zombies to bit and turning a chunk of them into crawlers.

"James has a grenade launcher!? Well shit, that's freaking awesome!" Simon yelled as he dove under a zombie's swipe and kicked it in the back of the leg, stabbing it in the back with the Bowie Knife and slashing upwards.

Nikolai rolled on the box and got a single black pistol, a C275. The Russian scowled at his reward, but grabbed the gun anyway, since it was something at least.

"So, Mule Kick let's you get three weapons. Interesting," Simon remarked as Takeo took Nikolai's place and rolled the box, getting a large machine gun known as the Commando.

"Excellent! With this weapon, I shall cut them down!" Takeo proclaimed as he took aim with the weapon and picked off several crawlers scaling the room. Dempsey ran up to the box and rolled on the box, and when he saw what weapon he had received, Dempsey swore out loud.

"Well, I guess the future hasn't changed anything. Fucking box!" Dempsey grumbled as he grabbed the floating Python from the box and attached it to his belt. He rolled a second time and got a Spectre.

"Hey Leah, you gonna get a gun or what?" Dempsey asked the Korean woman, who was sniping zombies from afar while Takeo stood nearby, assuring nothing attacked her while she was busy.

"No, I'm good. I'll find another gun off of the walls to use as my third weapon." Leah replied, reloading her rifle. Dempsey nodded and was about to roll on the box when Richtofen strode by and rolled on the box. Both of the men exchanged glares until Richtofen let out a cry of delight from what the box landed on.

"Ah, zhe Ray Gun! Porter did well, making zhis marvelous weapon!" Richtofen murmured as he took aim and fired the gun several times, blasting apart several zombies with green bursts of energy and ending the round.

(Round 18)

"Hey look, Speed Cola." Nikolai pointed out to the group. Everyone turned around and looked at the Perk-A-Cola machine for a moment before Nikolai and Dempsey made their way over to it, buying a bottle each. The clanged their bottles against one another before downing the beverage. Simon and James exchanged a look before walking over to the older soldiers and buying Speed Cola as well.

"So, what next?" Amy asked Richtofen.

"I need to finish linking zhe Teleporter. Once zhat is done, we may be able to leave zhis place. One of you must come with me. The rest shall return to the stage and await my arrival." Richtofen said as he shouldered his MP40 and looked at the others.

"I'll go. But first…" James said as he turned around and rolled on the box. Everyone blinked in surprise at the gun that eventually appeared. It was a massive cylindrical cannon sort of object that even Richtofen couldn't make heads or tails of. James grabbed with awe, holding the rather heavy weapon out.

"Thundergun…Alright, let's see what it does!" James said as he moved the gun and fired at four zombies running down the stairs. A blast of compressed air shot out towards the zombies and literally blew them away, sending them flying backwards like ragdolls.

"Woah! Now that was awesome!" Dempsey yelled out with a wide grin on his face.

"Oh hell yes. I'm gonna have a blast with this. Come on, Richtofen. Let's get moving!" James said as he began walking up the stairs. Richtofen watched him for a moment before following him, leaving the others to their own devices.

"Let's get moving. We're gonna get swarmed if we stay here," Leah remarked as she began firing at zombies scaling the ceiling.

"Good call. Let's go," Simon replied as he began walking into the dressing room. The others followed him, firing at the zombies leaping through the barricades. Leah bought an MP5K off of the wall and strapped the gun around her leg, firing at a zombie leaping down from the ceiling in the process.

The group quickly made their way back to the stage and began firing nonstop at the horde of zombies running their way. After about thirty seconds of nonstop killing, the group broke through the barrier of undead and made their way onto the stage.

"Where's the Doc when you actually need his ass?" Dempsey growled, seeing the Doctor nowhere in sight.

"He'll figure this out. Have faith, Tank," Leah replied to the marine.

"Heh. You've got some guts to have faith in that Nazi freak. He's gonna stab you in the back the first chance he gets," Dempsey growled as he repeatedly blew apart zombies with his Spectre, aiming at their heads as he did so. Simon spotted a Nuke amongst the horde and sprinted towards it, diving between several zombies and activating the power-up.

" **KABOOM!"** Samantha growled as the remaining zombies burst into flames, falling to the ground and vanishing from sight. Richtofen and James burst out from the main entrance as the round ended.

"It is done! And…ooh, I love zhe smell of burning flesh in zhe morning!" Richtofen remarked with a smile as he arppoached the others.

"And love blowing away zombies with this thing. Its so overpowered, and its amazing," James laughed as he lowered his weapon.

"So what's the deal with the Teleporter?" Dempsey asked.

"It is fully operational. All of us must stand within it and it will take us to where we need to go. Specifically where Samantha is located. We will stop her and zhis madness once and for all," Richtofen replied.

(Round 19)

The round began and the group held the stage down, gunning down everything that came within sight. Leah and Takeo stayed close to each other, with Takeo dispatching close threats while Leah blew apart enemies from afar. James continued to blow apart the hordes approaching with his Thundergun, grinning all the while. The others stood in place and gunned down anything that tried coming close. Despite the greater numbers of zombies Samantha threw at them, the group was able to hold the undead at bay. After about a minute of nonstop shooting, a small quake rolled through the building and sending the group to the ground, as well as the zombies.

"What was that?" James asked, getting to his feet and blowing away a group of downed zombies with the Thundergun.

"Doc? Any ideas?" Amy asked Richtofen, who was staring into the air with a dazed expression. He then shook his head, a pained scowl on his face as he looked around the room.

"GET INSIDE ZHE TELEPORTER NOW!" Richtofen yelled, running forward and jumping onto the podium, pulling the switch on the turret and using it to clear the way for the others as bullets rained down on the undead.

"Seriously, what is his problem? He's crazy!" James said quietly Simon. The sailor merely nodded in reply, unsure of what else to say.

"You heard the Doctor! Book it, people!" Leah yelled as he pulled out a Monkey Bomb, cranking it a few times before hurling it across the room. The zombies all rushed towards the explosive toy, allowing the others to rush back to the Teleporter. Richtofen crossed his arms expectantly, a small smile on his face.

"Uhh…Doc? When is this thing going to…?" Simon asked, unsure. The others raised their guns slowly, worried expressions on their face.

"Give it a moment."

The zombies were enveloped in a small explosion from the Monkey Bomb, which damaged some of them but killed none. Meaning every single zombie turned their attention to the extremely cramped Teleporter and began running their way.

"Mmm…It would be really funny if I shoved Dempsey out of the device…" Richtofen mused as the others began frantically trying to find the button that turned the device on. As the zombies neared them, Richtofen sighed and stomped downwards, activating a hidden switch and triggering the Teleporter. The group vanished in a ball of lighting and experienced a small tingle as their entire body was torn apart and put back together in a completely different location. The group reappeared in a small room filled with film reels and a working projector. They all fell to their feet, save for Richtofen, who had turned his attention to a large whirring blue machine behind him.

"Hey Doc…the hell is that?" James asked as he tried to get to his feet, bracing himself against the wall.

"Zhis is zhe Pack-A-Punch machine. Put your weapon inside, and for a price, you can upgrade it into something so much more." Richtofen said as he placed his MP40 into the machine, which swallowed the gun. With a ding and a flash of light, a MP40 covered in dark runes came out, smoking slightly.

"Ah, mien Afterburner. What fun we'll have!" Richtofen cackled as Nikolai brushed past the Nazi, giving him a bored look as he tossed his Stakeout into the machine, receiving the Raid a few moments later.

"Move it, big guy! My turn!" Amy chirped as she ran forward and placed her pistols into the device. She was rewarded with the Calamity and Jane a few moments later. Amy did a pose with her guns, grinning widely before she moved aside for the next person. Dempsey was next, upgrading his Galil to the Lamentation, a gun that Dempsey cradled in his hands like a newborn.

"OK, while Dempsey contemplates making love to a gun, I'm going to point out we're on a time frame people. Hurry up and upgrade!" Simon snapped, placing his M16 into the machine and receiving the Skullcrusher. Takeo silently walked forward, placing his Commando within the device. He was given a Predator for his efforts a few moments later.

"If I put this Bowie Knife into the machine, do you think I'll get something like a sword?" Leah asked Richtofen. The Nazi blinked before he sighed, looking as if he wanted to strangle her in response. Leah laughed at his face before bounding forward and placing her Dragunov into the machine. A few moments later, she was given the D115 Disassembler.

"Congrats. You've got a sniper rifle. Where are you going to snipe from, in a place like this?" Dempsey asked the CIA Agent.

"Oh come on, its…Oh hey, look." Leah removed the scope entirely, to the surprise of everyone. "It's detachable."

"Huh. I guess that's pretty cool…And it makes it way more useful, if you've got iron-sights. And last but not least…" Dempsey said, turning his head towards James, who brushed past him and placed the massive Thundergun within the Pack-A-Punch machine.

"I still cannot believe I missed out on a chance to try it…" Richtofen pouted, a note of longing in his voice. Amy patted his shoulder for a moment before being sent giggling away by a glare from the Nazi.

"Zeus Cannon…" Dempsey chuckled as James pulled the weapon out, a wild grin on his face as he held up the large device out of the even larger device.

"I could blow up the whole goddamn world with this thing." James said as he hefted the massive Wonder Weapon up, admiring the gleam on it.

Before the group could reply to that Red vs. Blue reference, balls of lightning enveloped the group, sending them all away from the small room where the Pack-A-Punch machine lay whirring.

* * *

Simon yelled out as he reappeared on top of a large building, beautifully decorated with ornate jewels and designs. He quickly got his bearings from where he was, looking out over a beautiful paradise-like city situated next to a massive lake. Simon raised an eyebrow when he found he couldn't move an inch, so he stood where he was admiring the few for several seconds before being whisked away elsewhere.

* * *

Amy blinked as she found herself in the middle of a snowy forest, alone for miles and miles. Two figures stood next to her, a man and a woman. Both of them had their arms wrapped around the other, in a loving embrace, speaking to each other in Russian. Amy wondered for a few moments what was happening before she heard a soft growl from behind her. Her body was unmoving, however, so she couldn't see what was approaching. It did alert the couple in front of her, causing both of them to scream in horror as a massive white monster of sorts slowly came into view, standing next to Amy.

Amy vanished in a flash of lightning as a massive white creature rushed at the couple, a horrible roar echoing through the night followed by the screams of the lovers.

* * *

Leah gasped as she materialized on the edge of a massive tower, gleaming in the moonlight. She couldn't move, but could only watch as the lone figure on the tower fell to his knees in front of a large pyramid and let out a scream of such sorrow and anguish that it sent shivers down her spine. The man fell to his hands, sobbing uncontrollably and swearing in German. Leah felt a pang in her heart and, despite the situation, wanted to somehow comfort the man. It was obvious that he was grieving the loss of something dear to him. Leah didn't have time to do much else than think this thought before being sent away a few moments later.

* * *

James flinched as he materialized in large laboratory, filled with bits and pieces of machine parts and armor everywhere. A portly man tinkered with a massive suit of armor, muttering in what sounded like Russian. He had short black hair and an impressive mustache curled around his lips. James saw a figure pop up on the screen next to the man, looking at him with disgust before speaking and startling the fellow.

" _Doctor Zakharik…My patience is running quite low…"_ a cold voice spoke from the screen in front of the hulking man. The Scientist fumbled with his screwdriver in surprise, dropping it. The man on the screen was a pale and slim man with long black hair, tied into a ponytail. His cruel eyes focused on the man before him, sending shivers down the spine of James. The scary vibes he got from Richtofen…were either just about as bad or worse than the ones he was getting from the guy on the screen.

" _I will not tolerate failure from you again, Zakharik. Doctor Maxis wants results. The Panzar Project needs to be 100% ready by the deadline."_

"I'm-I'm trying, Harvey- I mean, Mister Yena. We've only just finished excavating the area for Element 115. We c-can't-" Zakharik stammered before Yena cut him off.

" _You can, and you will. We've got a lot riding on you fools, so be ready. I've already stuck my neck out for you idiots at Griffin Central enough times as it is. No more. I want results. Or we pull the plug, and focus our resources elsewhere. Are we clear?"_ Yena growled from the device, the man scowling as he slammed his hands on the console, intensity in his eyes.

"…You'll have them, Yena. I swear it. Somehow we'll have the project ready and waiting for Doctor Maxis by the deadline."

" _Good…farewell for now."_ James saw Yena smile horribly before cutting the connection. Zakharik shuddered and collapsed into his chair, dabbing at his face with a handkerchief as James vanished in a burst of lightning.

* * *

The group of fighters appeared in a collective ball of lighting in the foyer area, stunned at the events. Dempsey was the first to recover, grabbing two grenades and chucking them down into the theater room.

"Light them up! They'll all be coming this way from there!" Dempsey barked as he threw the last of his grenades, pulling out his Lamentation as the others began hurling grenades as well. Shrapnel, bullets and fire ripped into the hallway, shredding apart the raging undead that were attempting to overwhelm the zombie slayers. Leah and Dempsey quickly noticed that other zombies were quickly trying to overwhelm them from the side, but they were swiftly put down, with James ending the round by blowing away the remainder of the horde with a single burst from the might Zeus Cannon. Wind rushed through the room even as it was focused forward, taing away the life that the undead were given with an incredible blast of force.

"I love this gun! Its like…a tornado of awesome!" James laughed, hefting the massive gun up to his shoulder and patting it affectionately.

(Round 20)

" **FETCH ME THEIR SOULS!"** Samantha snarled, summoning her Hellhounds once more as mist descended upon the group. The group quickly fell into position, raising their weapons as more Hellhounds appeared in the room and easily defeated by the crew's superior weapons. Richtofen however, was caught off guard by one of the smarter dogs and allowed it to get close to him, only for him to swiftly move and shoot one of the legs of the Hellhound, wounding it but not killing it. The remaining Hellhounds were dispatched, save for the one Richtofen had injured.

"Aw…it seems your puppy is _limping_ , Samantha." Richtofen said mockingly, kicking the injured Hellhound in the face. It snapped at him again, so Richtofen stomped down on its skull and pinned it to the floor.

"Poor puppy." Amy said with a small sigh, earning a look from every other person there.

"Seriously, Ames, I'm going to get you some help. Lots of medicine." Simon said with a tired shake of the head before turning his attention to Richtofen. "Looks like the Teleporter was a bust, Doc. I say we bail." Simon said to Richtofen. The Doctor nodded in reply, but was cut off by a familiar ethereal German little girl screaming in frustration.

" **NO! No! No! No! I just found you again! I won't let you escape!"** Samantha screamed at them, her voice childish and strangely eerie, like it had been when the group first encountered her. The group felt an odd feeling roll through them, like the other from before, indicating that the strange forces keeping them within the theater were gone.

" **I'm not going to let you win…"** Samantha whispered, her tone cold and harsh.

"Her control slipped…Hahaha, now we can depart zhis place!" Richtofen breathed, increasing his pressure on the Hellhound's skull, a bloodlust-filled grin on his face as he raised his Bowie Knife.

"You stupid little girl! I've already won! I'll be coming for you, soon enough!" Richtofen cackled back, plunging his knife gleefully into the throat of the injured Hellhound.

" **I'm going to kill you…I promise you this, Uncle Edward…" the girl whispered.**

"Why does that give me a really bad feeling…?" Dempsey muttered, feeling a cold chill roll down his spine that made the hardened marine shiver horribly.

 **"Guess what, Uncle Edward?…Fluffy wants to play with you!** **"** Samantha said in a harsh whisper, laughing a little as she finished speaking.

"Vhat!? Fluffy!?...No…No! We have to leave! Now!" Richtofen cried out, whirling around to Dempsey and Simon.

"The truck! Lead us to it NOW!" Richtofen yelled, his voice frantic with fear. Before either man had time to respond, a loud growl echoed throughout the building. A faint mist crept through the building, chilling the bones of the zombie slayers.

" **Fluffy…good girl…You have some new friends who want to play...MAKE THEM PLAY DEAD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"** Samantha cackled as the sound of deafening thunder and lightning ripped through the building, signaling the arrival of something much much worse than the undead hordes they had battled thus far.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Boom. How're they gonna get out of this mess? Find out next time on…Dragonball Z-Uh, I mean Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows! If you've got a question, then ask me whatever you'd like in the section below._ **Please make sure you leave some feedback on the chapter or story itself before you do so, or the question will be ignored.**

 _Q & A:_

And another question if you're still taking questions: since you wrote the DOTD story in your junior/senior year of high school (I think) and that was 3 years ago, where are you now? Nothing specific just basic information.

 ** _Well, I've had two pretty decent jobs since graduating high school, and since then and over the course of DOTD I graduated from college with my Associate of Arts degree. Right at this moment I'm focusing solely on eating healthier and working out so I can lose a bit of weight in order to continue my processing for the Air Force, which is where I'll hopefully be going into by the end of the year. Right now I'm currently unemployed at the moment, having just recently quit my job last month for family reasons._**

 ** _All in all though, I'm doing well right now. Thank you for asking._**

To be honest I think this story has been a little slower Than the last one... Oh yeah and will you tie in the fact that they all had children in the last story?

 _ **All I will say is that yes, the children will be relevant in the story. One of them will be showing up in this story for certain as a main character. As for the story being slow, I can absolutely agree with you there. That's probably because this story ties into one you all should already know quite well, with some pieces already being filled in just by you all having already read DOTD. Also, these chapters aren't coming out as quick as they did in Apocalypse.**_

 _ **It's entirely possible that this story will not have the same impact as DOTD did, but that's not what I'm after here. I'm here to explain and integrate a part of the story while Black Ops III finishes the canon story, as well as explain what has happened since DOTD ended. As I said before, this is a prequel-sequel in quite the literal sense. So in other words, it will pick up. Just give it time. I'm hoping this story becomes just as special as DOTD was to you all, even if it doesn't have quite as silly as a beginning.**_

 _That's all for questions, this go around. Be sure to review and drop some feedback in the section below, and if you want to ask me a question as well, go right ahead! Please favorite, follow, and show your support. Stay awesome!_

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	6. Departure and Arrival

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Greetings. Chapter time._

 _In other news, this year, I'll be heading to Roosterteeth's annual RTX event in Austin Texas with Joe (JC785). Pretty hype stuff going on, and I plan on having a badass time. I'm really excited and hoping that everything goes well._

 _On another note, I'm seriously debating whether or not to take away Richtofen's accented dialogue. I've kind of gone with it and stopped IT in Apocalypse, and it's just kind of annoying to do now. Especially since everyone reading this story KNOWS that Richtofen's German and how he sounds. Please let me know how you feel about it in the review section below._

 _Anyways, shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes a Guest Reviewer and Zhepsy. Thanks for the support!_

 _This one's a bit short. But meh. I think I've earned a break since last book has chapters that were 20,000 plus words. I'm going a bit easier on you all this go around._

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 6: Departure and Arrival_

* * *

 _"Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind."-_ Nathaniel Hawthorne.

* * *

The group frantically made their way through the abandoned theater complex, making their way to the motor pool outside. The afternoon sun was shining down all around them, a contrast to the gloomy theater that they had just been fighting in minutes before. With a monster on their trail, they were more than happy to leave it behind.

"I'll drive! Leah, take shotgun!" Dempsey barked as he ripped open the driver's seat door and fired up the car. Leah scrambled into the passenger's seat while the others piled into the back of the truck. Richtofen's face was pale, abject fear and horror on his face.

 _"How fitting she send that beast after me…How could she control it? Where did she find Fluffy!?"_ Richtofen wondered before fire crept into the doorway, followed by a loud snarl.

"TANK! PUNCH IT!" Simon yelled as he aimed Skullcrusher at the flames, firing a grenade into them. A loud roar echoed through the theater in reply as the walls began to crumble. Dempsey put the truck into drive and floored it, peeling out of the motor pool with screeching tires whirring like mad. Seconds later, the front of the building exploded in a shower of bricks and dust.

"Yeehaw!" Dempsey yelled as he rolled down the window of the car, barreling down the empty roads of the Berlin town. Despite everything, Dempsey had a wide smile on his face. That smile took a hit when Richtofen let out a strangled yell of fear.

"HERE COMES FLUFFY!" Richtofen screamed in horror, clutching the edge of the car with a terrified expression on his face. The crew gaped in unison as a massive pulsating red and jet-black fireball exploded onto the street out of thin air, taking form of a massive German Shepard with matted fur and flames cloaked around its body. A black collar was fastened around its neck, with a very small metal pink heart hanging from it that read _Fluffy_. Its demonic crimson glowing eyes narrowed in anger as it saw the man who had turned it into a monster and harmed its master.

"If I said I kinda wanted to pet it, would you guys call me crazy?" Amy snarked as she began hurling grenades down the street. Fluffy snarled as she bounded down the street, easily keeping pace with them as its glowing red eyes narrowed. The others joined in, chucking grenades at the Hellhound. The explosives did very little to the Hellhound mother, except perhaps make her even more angry.

"AWOOOOOOO!" Fluffy howled as she lunged forward, slashing at the truck with her claws and barely scratching the back of the truck.

"Well, this freaking sucs!" Simon yelled as he fired a grenade from Skullcrusher into the mouth of the Hellhound, causing it to snarl in anger, but flinch in pain and lose some speed.

"OPEN FIRE!" Dempsey bellowed from the front seat. The group did just that, enveloping the Hellhound mother in bullets and explosions. Fluffy snarled in pain before suddenly opening her jaw wide, a small fireball forming within her maw.

"Dempsey! Incoming!" James yelled out to the marine. Dempsey swore as he looked into his rearview mirror and saw the Hellhound behind him releasing a massive fireball that raced towards the truck. Dempsey yanked on the steering wheel and pulled the truck out of the Hellhound's direct line of fire, instead choosing to go down a road that led away from the general direction of the theater.

"Any ideas!?" Simon barked, reloading his Skullcrusher after a few seconds of unloading the entire clip into the Hellhound. Fluffy seemed to be taking a small amount of damage, but a great barrage of gunfire should be doing more. At this rate, they'd all run out of ammo long before doing any real damage to Fluffy, who was slowly drawing closer to the truck.

"She's gaining on us!" Leah said as she leaned out of the window and fired a shot into the Hellhound's eye, causing it to flinch and snarl horribly in agony before the Hellhound let out a long howl. Smaller Hellhounds began spawning all around them in small balls of lightning, quicker than their mother and able to keep up with the speeding truck.

"Fend off the runts! I'm getting us out of here!" Dempsey yelled, taking another corner and making the car turn right. Despite the screech of protest from the tires, the car lurched onto another road.

"Ugh…shaky truck make Nikolai feel sick…" the Russian muttered, firing off his Stakeout at the nearby Hellhounds as they neared the truck. Takeo rolled his eyes in disgust, but noticed Fluffy was charging up an even bigger ball of flames up within her mouth than before.

"Prepare yourselves! The beast is about to attack!" Takeo cried out. To the warrior's surprise, James stepped forward, aiming his Zeus Cannon at Fluffy with a wide smirk on his face.

"Bring it, devil dog!" James yelled at the Hellhound, who let loose a torrent of white-hot flames. James fired his weapon four times, each blast rending apart the flames and neutralizing the attack completely.

 ** _"Kill them! Make them pay for what they did to daddy!"_** Samantha yelled ethereally. Fluffy growled in response and snapped at the car, barely missing it as Dempsey gassed the car just a little more.

"Faster Dempsey! Quickly!" Richtofen shouted.

"No backseat driving! And if I go any faster, I'm going to wreck, jackass!" Dempsey shot back at the Nazi.

"Well, this is getting us nowhere." Amy sighed as she walked over to the edge of the truck, leaning off of it and peering ahead. Spotting a low building with an awning attached, she looked over to James as an idea popped into her head.

"OK. Crazy idea time!" Amy chirped.

"Oh great. _Just_ what we needed," Simon sighed as he reloaded his grenade launcher within his Skullcrusher. Amy cracked a grin and flicked Simon in the head while she walked over to James.

"Can I help you?" James asked as he leveled the Zeus Cannon at Fluffy, ready to repel another burst of flames.

"Yep! Can I borrow your China Lake for like, five minutes?" Amy asked James. The cop blinked in surprise for a moment before shrugging and taking off the grenade launcher, handing the ammo bandoleer he had over to her.

"Awesome. I'll be back in ten minutes." Amy said as she began walking towards the back of the truck, leaving behind a puzzled James.

 _"Didn't she just say she needed to borrow it for five?"_ James wondered before he noticed Fluffy firing a massive sphere of flames at them. He let loose a thunderous blast from the Wonder Weapon in his hands, sending the fireball back at Fluffy, causing her to snarl in agony before she lunged forward, heat-butting the truck. Amy took this chance to jump out of the truck and land on top of Fluffy, yelping as flames licked her boots and pants.

"…She's crazier than me!" Richtofen sputtered in disbelief and amazement as Amy wavered on top of the Hellhound before leaping into the awning of a nearby shop's roof. Once she landed, she got on top of the building and began running.

"Looks like you're going to have to step it up a notch, eh?" James joked at Richtofen, despite his worry for Amy. She was a bit of a daredevil at times, yeah, but this was insane!

"AMY, GET BACK HERE!" Simon bellowed as the Englishwoman sprinted along the building, leaping from one to the other.

"Lead him around here again! I'm gonna drop a building on her!" Amy called as she shifted the grenade launcher in her hands, taking careful aim at a building and firing a shot at a nearby building just as Fluffy was passing it. Chunks of it exploded outwards, with some pieces pelting the Hellhound but doing nothing other than annoy her.

"Crap! Not the right building...I meant to do that!" Amy called to the others.

"She's going to WHAT!?" Simon demanded, absolutely baffled.

"Does this actually surprise you!?" Leah demanded from the shotgun seat. Dempsey snorted in amusement despite himself, taking the group around the corner so he could help get the Hellhound into a better position for Amy to hit him from.

"If this plan works, I'll personally get on my knees and thank her," Richtofen said dryly before letting out a yelp of horror as Fluffy neared the truck again, biting thin air as Dempsey maneuvered the truck out of harm's reach.

"Agh! Stay down!" Richtofen snarled, firing his Ray Gun repeatedly into the face of the Hellhound, who responded by forming a fireball in her mouth once again and shooting it towards them.

Amy scowled as the group raced out of the area, leaving her far behind. This wouldn't do. They needed to be way closer for her to drop a building on the Hellhound. That said, she could at least provide some support. She took aim and fired a few grenades into the air and into the street where Fluffy was chasing the others. While it didn't seem to do much damage, it helped enough to where Dempsey managed to get down another street without the Hellhound catching them. It wouldn't last much longer though, and Amy knew it. Dempsey was a good driver, but he had escaped the Hellhound by luck so far.

Luck never lasted.

"Shit…Lead her back this way!" Amy called to Dempsey. The marine flipped her off in response from his rolled down window, but obliged, taking a longer route that would lead them right past her.

A few tense minutes later of playing cat and mouse with a deadly Hellhound, Amy was lining up the sights. Her target was a rather tall clock-tower that seemed like it had seen better days. Perhaps it had been there longer than the previous buildings? Either way, it seemed like just the perfect target for her. She glanced over at the speeding truck containing her friends and her boyfriend. She considered them back together, but she loved to mess with Simon about these things. Sure, Nikolai and Dempsey were kind of cute and amusing, but Simon was just more fun to be around and she did promise him that they would try again once they were together again.

Now all they had to do was live through this undead nightmare.

"Amy! Go for it!" James shouted to his friend as they neared her location, with Fluffy drawing ever closer to her targets. Amy closed one eyes and inhaled deeply before exhaling, making sure the shot as just perfect. She estimated just about how fast the Hellhound mother was charging and waited a few more moments before deeming fit to enact her marvelous plan.

"PLAY DEAD, BITCH!" Amy yelled, firing a shot directly into the bottom of the building, blowing apart a massive chunk of the foundation apart. The building slowly crumbled forward, groaning in protest as bricks toppled to the ground. Fluffy's eyes were locked with Richtofen's as she put on a burst of speed, not seeing the crumbling building as it tilted towards her.

 ** _"FLUFFY! NO!"_** Samantha suddenly cried out, but it was too late. Fluffy's demonic eyes glanced upwards at the falling building before the entire thing crashed down upon her, causing the Hellhound to roar in pain before dropping to the ground. The Hellhound tried to move from underneath the building that pinned her to the ground, but to no avail.

Dempsey chuckled as he swung the truck around to the building Amy was standing on. The Brit leapt off of it and landed in Simon's arms, where the sailor hugged her tightly in relief.

"What were you thinking!?" Simon growled at Amy, who simply kissed him on the nose in response.

"I had it handled. Also, here's your China Lake back James!" Amy cheerfully said to her larger friend. James took the grenade launcher back with an amused smile as the others watched on.

"Let's get out of here," Leah said from the shotgun seat.

"Oh hey, I get it. Amy called her a bitch because she is female dog! Hahaha, it is funny," Nikolai chortled, falling into his seat with a sigh. The others did the same as they got further away from the Hellhound.

"Hahahaha! Farewell, Fluffy!" Richtofen sang as he waved at the trapped dog. Samantha let out a scream of frustration as the group burst through the gates of the town, leaving the furious Hellhound behind as it frantically struggled underneath the chunk of building that pinned it to the ground.

 ** _"Its OK…I'll get them soon…Fluffy, return to me. Come here, girl…"_** Samantha whispered to the mother Hellhound. It would be some time before she could call forth the massive and powerful Hellhound, but she would do so again when the time was right.

As the Hellhound exploded into flames, a lone woman peeked her head out from behind one of the dilapidated. She had long flowing blond hair and a beautiful face, with bright red eyes. Her slender frame covered in a dark trench coat while two massive pistols were clutched in her hands.

"Wow…So this is the true extent of the power of shadow? We're in the past…back when Richtofen and his comrades were trying to stop Samantha?" the woman asked. In reply, a horrible dark whisper replied in her mind a few moments later.

 ** _"Of course we are…Shadows exist within every moment in time, within all worlds that exist within existence. Once you grow stronger, you can experiment more, my little Eris…"_** the voice croaked.

"OK Master. But why have me come back to this time anyway?" the woman asked.

 ** _"Because there are many things we have to do...This world and the timeline itself are in grave danger…And if we return to the present, you will be unable to handle the challenges that are to come your way. While the children are traveling to Los Angles to battle Edward, we can spend some time in the past and prepare for the battle that is to come. In order to save the future, we must save the past..."_** the voice whispered in reply.

"So this is a way for me to get stronger…Ae you going to have me fight Richtofen?" Eris asked the voice.

 ** _"Of course not…Samantha will defeat him once way or another. But…I can't do more until we allow some time to pass. I need time to pull myself together…and think things out. Much like dear Illuzio, it seems as though the key to finding a way forward is to find guidance in the past…"_** the voice rasped, the presence fading from the woman's mind.

"Don't worry about it Master Yena. I'll follow those guys and see what they're up to. From what you told me, their crucial to stopping Samantha in the past, right?" Eris said as shadows began shifting around her.

 ** _"Little one…You're about to see a lot of crazy shit. Best to just keep an open mind and get ready for the bloodshed."_** Harvey Yena whispered in response, a slight giggle escaping the phantom. After a few moments Eris smiled slightly, sinking into the ground and vanishing from sight.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _So maybe now you all will see where I'm going with this. Anyways, time for the Q and A! As always, feedback is required in your review in order for me to answer it. No spams please._

 _Q and A:_

Also what about the actors in call of the dead as characters PS don't forget takeo has a sickness then sorry for the long question

 **No worries about the long question. Make your questions as long as possible, since I just copy and paste them into this section and just reply to them in a word document.**

 **As for the Call of the Dead characters…Hmm…They will be in the story, since Call of the Dead was a map in Black Ops I, but they won't have any other impact on the story other than delivering the Golden Rod to Richtofen and maybe a few action scenes. They're not really all that important to the plot. Sorry.**

 **Also, when you say Takeo has a sickness, are you referring to when he gets sick to his stomach in Call of the Dead behind the locked door? Because if so, I plan on covering it, don't you worry.**

 _Now that the Q and A is over, onto a more somber topic._

 _Late at night on June 11_ _th_ _, 2016, there was a horrific shooting at a gay nightclub called the Pulse in Orlando, Florida. This happened literally right in my backyard, in the very heart of Florida._ _ **My older brother narrowly escaped being in that horrible situation, but by simple happenstance he didn't go to that club that night.**_ _I have close friends and family attending vigils to mourn those who perished in this act of hate. Words can't express how it feels to know that the largest mass shooting in America's history happened in a place I've known my whole life. Its…scary, you know?_

 _I myself will be donating blood to help out the victims within the next day or two, and I urge those who are able to show your support however you can. Whether it be donating to help out the families effected, blood donations, or just helping bring people together via social media, your kind words and actions are appreciated._

 _Together we can overcome the hate and the horror that is directed at those in the LGBTQ community, and at people at the world in general. Together we can overcome, but only through understanding and compassion. Lofty words, but…You have to hold on to hope. As the last book showed you…Things may look bad. Things may look horrible and depressing and downright scary…But all it takes is just a little bit of hope to brush aside the darkness. You have to have hope._

 _I'll see you all next chapter. Stay safe everyone._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	7. Road Trip

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Howdy folks…OK, so since when did that become my introductory hello to start off chapters? Seriously, check the past ones from this point and nearly all of them start the same way._

 _But I digress. This one took longer than I would've liked, but I was in Austin for RTX and then I had to go on another vacation to Key West. I managed to get on some wifi down here, so that's why the chapter is going up now instead of next week._

 _So I'm back with a vengeance now as we hit onto the next chapter of Apocalypse._

 _Shoutout to the beautiful people who reviewed last chapter, which includes I'm just another fan and a new reviewer who goes by the Prince of Awesomeness (great name, by the way.) Thanks for the support!_

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 7: R_ _oad Trip_

* * *

" _Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn't mean to take."_ _―_ Angela N. Blount _,_ _Once Upon an Ever After_ _._

* * *

Three hours passed as the group of zombie-slayers drove their way through town after town. Their going was fairly slow, despite the danger that lurked all around them. More and more towns the group of zombie slayers came upon, and each and every time they were empty save for the undead that wandered the streets.

"This is…really depressing." James remarked as he took a casual shot at a group of zombies running after them, blowing them to pieces with his China Lake.

"It looks like the zombies are much easier to kill when we're not stuck inside that creepy girl's clutches." Dempsey noted from the backseat, laying down on the bed of the truck. Simon had taken the wheel a few minutes ago with Amy sitting in the shotgun seat.

"Well, that's a relief. With the kind of firepower we're packing right now, we should be OK if Samantha can track us down." Leah replied, shifting slightly in her seat.

"As long as we remain on the move, we should be safe. However, I am worried that with the passing years she has become stronger. Her control within that theater was much more precise than I remember." Richtofen said quietly, closing his eyes.

"So how do you know her, anyway?" James asked the Doctor. The Nazi remained silent for a long while after the question, so James asked Nikolai a question as well, after seeing him take a shot of vodka.

"So, why are you always drinking, big guy?" James asked the Russian. The man in question chuckled in reply, shaking his head slightly.

"Ah, because it is concoction of my people. It is a drink of the motherland, and tastes like nothing else on my lips." Nikolai replied happily as he shifted his position and closed his eyes.

"Ah…But what is the real reason you drink it?" Richtofen whispered, his tone creepily gleeful. Nikolai opened an eye in confusion for a few moments before closing it and muttering something incomprehensible. He then fell into a worrying silence that made everyone except Richtofen stare at him. After a few moments the Russian seemingly fell asleep, his breathing slowing down.

"You three were test subjects, once upon a time. Dempsey...Nikolai...Takeo...Your personalities have been effected due to exposure to Element 115 and the Super-Soldier Serum that was administered to you." Richtofen explained softly. He knew that the best chance of cooperation between himself and his 'allies' would be a bit of the truth mixed in with a few lies. What the didn't know wouldn't hurt them, or more importantly, him.

"What…what was done to us, German?" Takeo said in a near whisper, his voice slightly worried, despite himself. His memories of the events of the past few years were gone, so he was completely unsure of what had happened within the past. This German was the key to figuring all of this out. The key to solving this mess that they had all found themselves in.

"I cannot say for sure how deep the effects will run through you. I can only note the effects I have seen with my own eyes." Richtofen replied, turning away from the others to watch the abandoned town they were travelling through. Another place that was thrived with life, now but a skeleton of what it used to be.

"What kind of effects are we talking about here?" James asked the Doctor. The Nazi chuckled in response, provoking a growl from Dempsey.

"You wanna stop beating around the bush and stop screwing with us?" Dempsey said to Richtofen, anger saturating every word.

"Ah, but you are exhibiting one of the many traits forced upon you by your exposure to Element 115, my dear stupid Dempsey. Anger. _Rage_. You become so easy to agitate. An easy target for manipulation and violence. Your vocabulary has become even more vulgar than it was before." Richtofen purred to the marine, who shrank back for a moment, surprised.

"So Dempsey's quick to anger, and his vocabulary has become harsher. That's not awful." Leah remarked, earning a surprised look from Dempsey and a small smile from Takeo.

"Meanwhile, our beloved Takeo has had his mind broken to a degree." Richtofen began, earning a strange look from the warrior. When he was given no reply to this, the Doctor continued.

"Your mind has been damaged, Takeo Masaki. You are focused on honor before all else. Your speech patterns are fragmented and your mind compels you to speak in Japanese proverbs. You can only speak in this tongue for short periods of time before being forced to speak in riddles yet again. From what I can tell, most of the time you feel the need to remain silent, as if words cannot convey what you need to say," Richtofen explained.

" _His words are broken in this tongue…But not his native tongue."_ Leah thought privately, smiling slightly as Takeo's frown became more pronounced.

"And what about the big guy over there?" James asked Richtofen, looking at Nikolai, who was still fast asleep. Richtofen frowned slightly and leaned closer to the Soviet to ensure he was asleep before leaning back to his original position and continuing to speak.

"Nikolai was a very hard subject to deal with, so he received a bit more exposure than Dempsey or Takeo did. As a result, the side effects he suffers through are more…severe." Richtofen said in a low voice, a small cruel smile on his face as the words left his lips.

"How so?" James asked, his voice also quiet.

"You may have noticed that Nikolai is constantly drunk. That at all times, he has a flask or a container of a very particular kind of liquid on him at all times," Richtofen began.

"Vodka…He's always drinking vodka. But what does that have to do with Element 115?" Dempsey asked the Nazi.

"Due to his exposure to Element 115, he has become utterly dependent on vodka. He experiences a terrible thirst that only vodka can relieve. Without a vodka-based liquid in his system, his body will begin to shut down. He will become despondent and miserable as he begins to work the liquid out of his body. Therefore he desires nothing else besides the foul drink, because it is the only thing keeping him alive," Richtofen explained in a soft voice, lowering the brim of his hat so that the others couldn't see the gleam in his eyes.

" _Little do they know that I was the one who did this to them all…I was the one who ruined their lives in the name of science…I wonder what the effects of Element 115 would be on these new fools that have joined our little group? I suppose in time we'll see."_ Richtofen mused before he felt a presence in his mind.

" _Edward? Is that you?"_ Illuzio spoke within Richtofen's mind.

Richtofen closed his eyes, murmuring to the others, "Think on that for a little while." He then pretended to doze, leaning against the back of the truck.

" _Yes? What is it?"_

" _Good, I was unsure if I could get in touch with you at this range. I've been doing a bit of digging while I was making sure the others were taken care of. Looks like Group 935 is pretty much done for in Europe. Most of the Group was either killed at Griffin Station or killed at Der Reise."_ Illuzio explained.

" _Hmm…It a shame. Do you have any insight as to where we can go to find access to a Teleporter? One that has a decent supply of Element 115 around to power it?"_ Richtofen asked the magical jester.

" _Sadly, no. However, I can look into how to wrench control of the M.P.D. away from Samantha. You mentioned several artifacts in the past that are capable of being melded together. Perhaps those hold the key to solving this conundrum?"_ Illuzio suggested.

" _Ugh, with all of this exposure to Element 115, some of my own memories have slipped away from me. I…Hmm…Perhaps a trip to Griffin Central may be in order. From there a forward may appear"_ Richtofen pondered.

" _Didn't you mention that you hated that place?"_

" _No, I just said it was staffed by incompetent morons. Yena had to routinely stop himself from shooting the staff there because they kept disappointing them. I met a few of them myself and I…Didn't leave a positive impression the first and only time I visited,"_ Richtofen replied.

"… _What did you do?"_ Illuzio asked, expecting the worst.

"… _I performed an experiment. How long can the human body continue to function without a heart? I knew the answer already, of course, but I wanted to make certain my previous results were conclusive. A rather annoying secretary for Doctor Zakharik was the test subject."_

" _You mean victim."_

" _Details, details."_

" _You killed him in cold blood, don't even try to pretend it was otherwise,"_ Illuzio said rather disapprovingly.

" _Well…Fine, yes. I had fun though, and that's all that matters."_ Richtofen said smugly, causing Illuzio to sighed mentally in response.

" _I'll sever our link now. I'll keep an eye out on things in the next country over, see if I can find anything useful."_ Illuzio said to Richtofen. Richtofen felt Illuzio leave his mind, making a mental note to try and find out more about the world they were now in. Who knew how much the world changed in the time jump they had went through. Richtofen opened his eyes and returned his attention to the outside world.

"-so then I just started spanking him in front of everyone, and all came away happy with the whole thing." Dempsey said, finishing a story of some sort that made Richtofen pull a face. Everyone else was listening intently to the marine while Amy made gagging sounds from the front seat.

"Hey, look who woke up." Leah said with a small smile, causing Richtofen to look up.

"Yes…How much time has passed?" Richtofen asked as he stretched in his seat, trying to ignore the horrifying mental images Dempsey had just producing in his mind. He almost wished he had taken a nap now.

"An hour. We were gonna take a small break once we get out of this city, since it looks like a bunch of forest is up ahead." James replied. Richtofen nodded and the group simply chatted amongst one another for several more minutes as the buildings fell back and trees replaced them. Soon a lone winding road and a few light posts through the countryside was all that lingered of civilization. Simon pulled the truck underneath a tree that was a few feet out from the road.

"Alright kids, if you've gotta take a leak, now's the time." Dempsey called as he hopped out of the truck and wandered into the woods, stretching as he did so. Dempsey wandered into the nearby forest, walking down the hill and into the depths of the trees.

"Nikolai must relieve bladder. And then fill it up again with vodka." The Russian chuckled as he stumbled after Dempsey, cursing slightly as he traversed the hill with much more difficulty.

"So, this is going better than my last road trip." Amy chirped with a wide grin as she leaned over and poked Leah on the shoulder. The C.I.A. agent was digging through her bag and pulled out a granola bar, which she handed to Amy.

"Thanks." Amy said as she scarfed down peanut butter-flavored treat. Takeo and Richtofen watched the display for a moment before Leah tossed two granola bars their way as well.

"I brought enough for two days' worth, plus a few extra. I'd like to think we all deserve a small treat." Leah said with a small smile as she pulled out one of the remaining granola bars and unwrapped it, sinking her teeth into it.

"Thank you, Leah." Takeo murmured as he slowly unwrapped the snack and carefully bit into it. The warrior's eyes lit up in surprise before taking another bite. Richtofen regarded the snack with disdain for a moment before mimicking Takeo.

"Hmm…We should attempt to procure better rations." Richtofen murmured as he took another bite of the granola bar. "But it will suffice."

"You're welcome." Leah said in a deadpan tone, causing James and Simon to chuckle in reply.

Richtofen rolled his eyes at Leah and said, "Do you expect me to thank you every time you do something nice?"

"Well, it'd be appreciated." Leah huffed, crossing her arms. Richtofen's eyes twitched for a moment, but he remained silent.

"So, is anyone besides me really worried about the lack of people within these towns? They're all deserted. Like, every single one," James asked the others.

"I believe Samantha's influence on this planet has not been for the better. Her power grows with every person slain and then exposed to the power that is Element 115. I expect her body count at this point is considerable," Richtofen replied to the cop.

"What is Element 115, anyway?" Simon asked Richtofen as he fueled the gas tank up with the remainder of the gas they had brought with them.

"I could be here all evening and still barely scratch the surface on the topic of Element 115." Richtofen replied shortly, not wanting to give the sailor an answer. The group was forced into another silence after Simon gave up on getting an response out of the German.

"Those two are taking a really long time." James muttered, crossing his arms and bracing himself against a tall tree.

"Makes me wonder how they survived this long." Simon joked, hefting his Skullcrusher over his shoulder with a grin.

"Yeah…We're facing the apocalypse, aren't we? Makes wonder how the others are faring back at home. And it makes me wonder how we'd be doing if we were fighting there instead of here." Leah replied, crossing her legs as she sat down on the bed of the truck.

"Oh, I have no delusions about my usefulness in a zombie apocalypse. The best I can hope for is to die in a pose that confuses future archeologists," Amy grinned at Leah.

"Then what do you call this?" Simon asked Amy, earning a giggle in response. "A better alternative than what I had planned this weekend, that's for sure." Amy replied before she was cut off.

"Hey! Find somewhere else to piss!" Dempsey suddenly yelled out, his voice echoing through the forest.

"Hehe. Not so secure in masculinity, eh Dempsey? Why does it matter where I pee?" Nikolai asked the marine.

"I'm taking a shit here, you idiot! There's an entire forest to pee in! Why pee right next to me!?" Dempsey demanded angrily.

"I'm actually surprised you two haven't kill them yet, considering you both don't like them all that much," Simon asked Takeo and Richtofen.

"I am very patient. Like the trees surrounding us, we must remain calm even in trying times." Takeo replied quietly as he placed a hand on the hilt of his katana.

"One day I will kill the two of them and use their skulls as decorative wine cups," Richtofen said dully, rubbing his temples.

"As thick as Dempsey's head is, it'll be very fine quality," James replied with a small laugh. Amy giggled as she stretched out in the back of the truck and laid down while Simon and Leah shook their heads in response.

"So, Doc. Do you have any definitive ideas on where we should head next? You're the expert here," Simon asked Richtofen.

The Nazi shook his head in reply, saying, "Nein. I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete. Samantha is still attempting to chase us down. I believe going to the Russians would prove fruitful…However it will be a long journey. We need more to go on than what we have."

"Well, that's a better plan than any of us have got." James muttered, sighing deeply. The group waited in silence for a few minutes before Nikolai stumbled back into the clearing, a grin on his face. He opened one of the many flasks on him and took a shot of vodka. The group didn't have to wait long for Dempsey to emerge from the forest, looking annoyed.

"Goddamn communist…" Dempsey muttered as he hopped into the driver's seat once again.

"Guess that's our cue to keep moving. We should be entering Poland soon, if we're not there already." Leah remarked. Simon nodded in agreement and the crew followed him into the back of the truck.

"Poland…Hmmm…" Richtofen murmured. He felt as if there was something about the country he should be careful about…

" _Ah well. If I cannot remember it, it must not be that important."_ Richtofen thought dryly as he hopped into the truck.

"Hey James, you want to try driving?" Simon asked the cop.

"It's a stick-shift right?" James asked.

"Yep."

"Nah, I don't know how to drive a stick shift." James replied.

"Seriously?" Dempsey said in surprise.

"Yeah man. I couldn't find the _manual_ ," James said with a wide grin. After a moment Leah and Simon groaned in exasperation while Dempsey chuckled in response.

"Not bad. I can always appreciate a good pun." Dempsey replied as he fired up the car.

"James became really well known amongst the cops in Georgia for his puns and jokes. It's actually how he ended up dating his wife!" Amy chirped as she flopped on top of Simon, laying her head down in his lap.

"Oh hey, I get it. Manual. It is funny." Nikolai chortled drunkenly as he hopped into the back of the truck, stumbling slightly. The truck began moving and soon the group was on the road once again.

"I haven't done a pun in ages. I'll save them for later though, I don't want to overdue it." James said with a small laugh before the group heard Dempsey suddenly let out a loud swear. The group heard the sound of several engines firing up and within moments, three heavily-armored vehicles burst out onto the country road, chasing after them. The third vehicle in the back looked like some sort of armored tank, capable of taking even more damage than the other two cars.

"Who the hell are these guys!?" Simon yelled as he got to his feet, scooping up his Skullcrusher.

"No idea, but they don't look friendly!" James barked as he pulled out his China Lake, taking aim for a moment. This moment was short lived when a shot rang out and James was sent to the floor of the truck, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"James! You bastards!" Leah growled, taking aim with her rifle and firing a shot into the armored car, spattering the windshield with blood before Simon blew it sky high with a grenade sent from his gun.

"Hahaha! Now that's how it's done, kids!" Dempsey laughed as he continued barreling down the countryside, the two remaining armored cars still pursuing them. Simon fired several more shots with his Skullcrusher, but due to the gunfire erupting from the armored cars, his shots all missed. James struggled to his feet and pulled out his Zeus Cannon and, panting in pain, fired it four times, causing one of the cars to swerve off the side of the road and go down into a nearby pond.

"There we go! Just one more-" Leah began to say before she was shoved to the ground by Takeo. A glowing arrow stuck out of the truck where Leah's head had been a moment before. The arrow began to eat away at the metal around the truck, showing that the projectile had a deadly bite. Leah looked up at Takeo, expressing a silent but grateful look on her face, but Takeo simply nodded in reply before opening fire on the car along with the others. An orange streak of energy then rushed out from the remaining vehicles cannon and slammed into their vehicle, causing it to sputter and vibrate in protest.

"Agh! What the hell was that?" Amy yelped, trying to remain standing. She looked up see two armored figures standing on top of the tank, one of them holding a slim rifle and the other holding a crossbow with a quiver of glowing green bolts.

"I remember now…Sector 17! This is not good!" Richtofen hissed as he put away his MP40 and drew his Ray Gun, firing shots at the armored car. Another orange streak of energy struck the car and caused it to veer down another path.

"Looks like we're making a pit-stop!" Dempsey yelled as he barreled down the path, their car smoking slightly. Richtofen took a glance ahead of them and saw a massive military compound hidden within a massive area within the trees. Dempsey smashed into the reinforced gate that protected the entrance of the compound, letting out a yell before the truck was hit by the orange beam for a fourth and final time, slowing down the truck. The final vehicle that had been pursing them quickly caught up, veering off to the side before ramming into the side of the truck and sending it careening towards a wall.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Dempsey yelled before the truck slammed into the wall, filling the air with screeching metal and a deafening bang.

* * *

Simon blinked several times as he rolled on the ground, dazed and disoriented. He felt every part of him ache in pain, having been hurled from the car onto the ground. Before he could get his bearings, he was forced into a kneeling position with a cold bit of metal jammed against his temple as people around him shouted in thick Russian accents. Simon's eyes shot around, seeing Dempsey growling as three guards aimed guns at him while the others were being led out of the car at gunpoint as well.

"I was not expecting this…To have a demon such as yourself running amok. I am happy that you are alive, Edward Richtofen." A quiet voice from somewhere to the left of Simon drew his attention to where Richtofen was. The Nazi was lying on his back as blood streamed down the side of his face, glaring up at the armored soldier standing with one boot on his chest and a pistol aimed directly at Richtofen's head. Grey and dark green combat armor adorned this soldier's body while a helmet obscured his head. The glass in front of the helmet had a skull spray-painted on the front of it, preventing Richtofen seeing his face, though he saw the multitude of knives and guns strapped to the man's body and knew he meant business.

The man spoke again, his voice low "I am sorry to say, Doctor...that you will not be happy to be alive after what comes next."

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Well, this is quite a pickle. Our crew has been captured? How on earth are they going to get out of this mess?_

 _Stay tuned, folks._

Q and A (All reviews that ask questions but don't offer any feedback or input on the chapter **will be ignored** ):

And my question is will you be using shangri la in this story? I really enjoy the idea of the map and it's Easter egg and also I feel that it's overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

 **I'm gonna just make a statement here, because I'm unsure if I have said it before, as to what this story is about. This story will cover the untold story of the events that led to DOTD, meaning the Black Ops I path that occurred in this iteration of the timeline. This means that while it will follow the established path (Kino, Ascension, Call of the Dead, Shangri-La, and Moon), it will also feature many other places and events that explain many of the events that happened in DOTD and sets up what will happen in the third installment.**

 **The story you see through one medium may not be the complete story. Every iteration of the timeline is different, so this one will be as well. However, as far as this story goes, all of the maps in Black Ops I (save Five) will be covered in this story. Meaning the Easter Eggs will be covered to a degree, some more than others, but I can justify that considering I've only actually done of the Black Ops I Easter Eggs myself (Call of the Dead). They're not going to be covered incredibly in-depth, but they will be completed and shown to be completed.**

 _Anyway, please leave a review in the section below. Show you love and support and all that awesome stuff, and if you've got a question, feel free to leave on in the review section below. I've also got a twitter if you feel like following that._

 _Take care everyone._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	8. Question and Answers

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Holy sweet zombie Jesus!_

 _Gorod Krovi. What a map. What an ending!_

 _No spoilers for those who haven't watched it, but damn I was not expecting that little bit at the end. Yeah, I was expecting a very sad ending. The map actually went a lot of the way I expected it to, what with you helping Nikolai and then having to fight him. I thought the return of Gersch and the introduction of Sophia was also pretty neat. Also…_

 _DOCTOR MONTY! Finally, after five maps we get to hear from the ever-elusive doctor._

 _Anyways, please let me know what you thought of the Easter Egg and what your thoughts are on the final map and the final installment of zombies for this storyline._

 _Shoutout to the wonderful folks who reviewed last chapter, which includes The Prince of Awesomeness, I'm just another fan, and a new reivewer in the form of a returning Dustchu! Thanks for the feedback and support folks!_

 _Onto the chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Chapter 8: Question and Answers_

* * *

" _No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path_."- Buddha.

* * *

"You bastards are gonna pay! When I get my hands on-" Dempsey began to growl before a fist to the face silenced him.

"And I said… _Shut up._ " A harsh voice responded, shaking his hand slightly.

"Who do you…think you are!?" Dempsey breathed, a thin trail of blood sliding down his mouth as he eyed the two armored men in front of him. One of them was the one who had pinned Richtofen to the ground earlier, a slender man with a skull painted on his visor wearing green and gray combat armor. The other man, the one who had just punched Dempsey, was a much larger individual, wearing bright blue and black colored armor with a flowing wave design on the visor. Both of their armors looked incredibly advanced, the sparse light in the room reflecting off of them.

"Us? Oh, well…Shit, I guess we didn't introduce ourselves, did we?" the grey and green-armored soldier said thoughtfully before waving a dismissive hand at Dempsey.

"Does it matter? He's going to die anyway." The other man growled.

"Well, it is possible that they won't be killed. At least, I'll be putting in a vote that they won't. I mean what's the point?" the slender soldier asked the other, who didn't respond verbally. The slender soldier looked to Dempsey and said, "I'm Gust. This is Hurricane. Sorry about my brother, by the way. He's a bit of a hardass."

"Are you seriously making friends with the prisoner?" Hurricane asked incredulously.

"…The real question is… _ARE YOU?_ " Gust asked his brother in an accusatory tone that made Dempsey raise an eyebrow at the two of them.

"Damn it, just shut up! We're supposed to be interrogating him. Stop distracting me!" Hurricane yelled at Gust.

"I'm not distracting you from anything. Except maybe making a fool out of yourself…again…"

"I…hate you sometimes."

"Tough love, big guy. Tough love." Gust remarked with a chuckle before he walked up to Dempsey and said, "Amnesia may be a side-effect of Element 115, but you were heading this way for a reason. You all show up out of nowhere, with Edward Richtofen in your group holding all sorts of cool toys…Well, I don't feel inclined to believe you when you say that you don't anything about Group 935, soldier."

"I don't remember. And even if I did…You're not getting shit out of me." Dempsey spat at Gust, spitting blood on his visor. Hurricane lunged forward, grabbing Dempsey by the neck before delivering a solid blow to his stomach, causing the marine to bowl over in pain.

"It's all good, little bro. It wipes off." Gust said as he wiped off the bloody spittle and brushed it against the wall. "I'd recommend against doing that in the future. The others are not quite as kind as I."

"Leave him here. We need to talk to the others and then report in the Marvin." Hurricane said curtly to Gust. The slender brother nodded and gave Dempsey a half-hearted farewell wave before leaving the room with his brother in tow.

 _"I wonder if the others are as confused as I am."_ Dempsey thought, closing his eyes for a moment. Think…He needed to think. He needed a plan. Find the others. Rescue the civilians. Get their gear…and blow this place to hell. He took a glance behind him at the chains holding him to the wall. They were pretty thick and very secured to the wall. Breaking them wasn't an option…Or was it?

"Alright Tank…You've gotten out of worse spots than this." Dempsey muttered as took a deep breath, preparing himself for the task ahead.

* * *

"Nikolai Belinski…Why do I always get the most disgusting people?" the woman in dark red and black combat armor asked, a symbol of flames on her visor. She held a bottle of vodka in one hand and an electrified staff of sorts in the other hand.

"Hey…That is Nikolai's vodka!" the Russian yelled, struggling within the chains. The woman struck him with the electrified staff, causing him to grunt in pain. She continued this for several minutes before taking a step back and removing her helmet, revealing a woman in her late thirties with short blond hair.

"Ugh…Disgusting. I don't see why we had to let so many of you pigs within the program. At least I'll get to kill one of you. That'll be fun, right big man?" the woman crooned, prodding Nikolai in the chest with the staff, causing the Russian to growl in pain.

"You… _ugly pig woman_. Nikolai remands the return of his vodka. And then perhaps to be let go at the earliest convenience." Nikolai said to the woman, whose left eye was now twitching horribly.

Nikolai received his vodka bottle back…

However, it was smashed over his skull by an irate soldier as she began to beat him senseless over the course of the next ten minutes.

* * *

Takeo stared at the man across from him. The man had introduced himself as Gust. The man who had taken Richtofen to be tortured for information regarding Group 935 and done who knew what with the others. He had said nothing the entire time the man was there, simply staring at him. After an hour had passed, the man let out a small chuckle and began lightly clapping.

"Well played, Takeo. But tell me…What sense of loyalty do you have to these strangers? Why help them out? You can't have known them very well, based on the effects Element 115 has on the body. You've been exposed to absurd amounts of it, so…It's no small wonder that you're still standing." Gust said with a wave of the hand before getting up off of the wall.

"I'll be taking a look at the young ones next. That Leah girl wasn't much of a help, but what she did say makes me wonder if we need to start looking in another direction." Gust remarked as he opened and door and slipped out of the room. Takeo felt a pang of worry within him at the mention of the young woman and his frown deepened.

" _I must find a way to escape this place…"_ Takeo thought as he closed his eyes, meditating on a possible solution. He thoughts drifted to the younger fighters they had picked up. All of them were good people, quite unlike the crew he had been running with beforehand. Nikolai was a disgrace to the human race in general and Richtofen, while a skilled warrior, couldn't be truly trusted. Dempsey wasn't too bad, but he didn't respect the man all that much.

However, Simon displayed a savviness that he respected as well as fighting prowess that impressed him. James was stalwart and strong, but with a good heart. Amy was just a little bit crazy. Unlike Richtofen, she wasn't an evil sort of crazy, just a weird kind of crazy but she was also good. As for Leah…Well, he probably liked her the most out of the group. She was intelligent and sharp, but also skilled enough to keep up with even battled-hardened warriors like himself. Her kindness, though, is what he considered her best quality. She was patient with the soldiers and was even kind to Richtofen, despite every reason not to be.

Takeo then shook his head, snapping out of his musing. It wouldn't do to be distracted. First thing's first.

Escape.

* * *

James sank to the ground as Hurricane slammed his fist into his stomach, causing him to let out an involuntary groan of pain, beads of sweat rolling down his face as his breath in short sprurts.

"Come on, man. You all gave as some basic scraps of info. Just enough to whet our appetite. You can't leave us hanging now!" Gust said as Hurricane took a few steps back.

"Go…to hell." James hissed, shutting his eyes.

"You seemed like a more pragmatic fellow than this. You're a cop. Don't you get it? Don't you want to help people?" Gust asked the cop, drawing his attention.

"We're dedicated to the betterment of humanity. We toil away here, trying to develop as much scientific stuff as we can with Element 115. But if we had more of Group 935's research…I shudder to think of what could be done with it. How much good we could do…So…Where do you stand, officer?" Gust asked the cop. James offered a lopsided grin in response before spitting at the ground by Gust's feet.

"Fair enough. Hurricane, hit him-" Gust began to say before his young brother brutally backhanded James in the face, making him recoil backwards. James lunged forward and slammed his head into the man's armored chest, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Both of you…You don't give a damn about improving the world. It's going to help around you from the sound of it!" James barked at the two soldiers.

"That may be true. I don't care about this world. This place offers a lot of excitement, good pay, and the finest weapons money can buy." Hurricane said with a smirk on his face, rubbing the dent that James made on his armor.

"I do though. Funny how that works out." Gust remarked with a shrug.

"What I don't get is that you both sound American…What are you both doing in a place like this?" James grunted, struggling in his binds some more so he could shove his fist down Hurricane's throat.

"We just answered that. Gust wanted to help out the world like a pansy, and I was in it for the gear. You get some fun stuff working with Sector 17. Hell, maybe you'd be willing to sign up." Hurricane remarked with a chuckle.

"We'd be willing to make a deal with you. Information for leniency. Come on, James. Don't be on the losing side." Gust said quietly, offering a hand to James. The cop stared at it.

"Do you really think that you all can get out? Do you really think you can stop the zombies? Richtofen's just using you. You're tools to him. And when he gets what he's after…You're going to be sitting face down in the dirt with blood leaking out of the back of your skull." James scowled at that and spat into the man's hand.

"Maybe he will, but I'm not going to make deals with assholes who lock up my friends." James snarled. Gust curled his hand into a fist and drew it back before lowering it, laughing for a moment.

"Nah. I've got twenty days without harming a prisoner. Can't break my streak. Come on. Let's go do some more talking!" Gust said casually as he turned around, opened the door, and strolled out of the room. Hurricane watched the door for a moment before whirling around and slamming his fist into James' chest. James let out a choke of pain, feeling his ribs sear with agony before Hurricane left the room, laughing under his breath. He had to get out. He had to save the others.

* * *

Amy hummed to herself as she waited in her room, attached to the wall by a simple chain . It had been several hours since the group had arrived at the facility, and she was starting to get a bit hungry. She sat on the floor, watching the door with a bored expression until a slender solider walked into the room.

"Hello there. Sorry about the wait there, it took a while to deal with Dempsey, James, and Richtofen. We're looking into the others, but we've only got so much personnel who are privy to all of the details about this mess." Gust said as he leaned against the wall.

"Its all good. Is Simon alright?" Amy asked Gust, a small smile on her face.

"For now. If he cooperates, then he'll be fine. If not, then I can't promise anything." Gust replied with a small sigh.

"That makes sense. That said…I don't think you guys will be holding us for too long. If the older guys won't find some way to break out here, then I probably will. I've got a pretty good streak of doing really unexpected things with awesome results." Amy said with a wide smile on her face. Gust chuckled at that, getting up from his wall.

"You're not going to tell me much, are you?" Gust asked with an amused chuckle.

"I don't know all that much. I know there's a Nazi science group or something that's at the root of all of this, but other than that…meh. I just want to stop all of this crap. I mean, do you want zombies running about killing people?" Amy asked Gust.

"No. But _we_ are safe from them. Their existence helps get us more funding and more resources to advance our own goals. So a few million people die. Mankind will make more, and as a result we'll be able to improve upon our work and be able to further better humanity as a result," Gust replied.

"That's a pretty nice way of saying you're going to sit around and let the zombies kill people, Gust." Amy said quietly, bring her knees closer to her and putting her chin on them. Gust remained silent at that, because he knew that she was correct. Another small sigh escaped the solider before he spoke again.

"I don't like it either. Really, I don't. But we're unsure of what exactly controls them. It was never documented in Group 935's work at the Der Reise facility nor any of the other bases we've found." Gust said to Amy in reply, shaking his head. Amy cracked a small smile at that.

"That sucks. Let me now if you find anything, OK? I'm kinda curious myself about all this stuff," Amy remarked. Gust remained silent for a while, just watching the woman for a while.

"You're weird. You know that, right?" Gust muttered, crossing his arms at the Brit while she closed her eyes and hummed.

"Yeah, I know. It's what makes me dangerous, I guess," Amy replied softly, not opening her eyes.

"Dangerous? _You_? I'm more worried about the soldiers we captured and the cop. You're the least of our worries!" Gust laughed in reply.

"Then that'll be your undoing," Amy replied, her voice taking on a more serious tone, still soft as the wind on a bright summer's day. Gust raised a hidden eyebrow at her sudden change in mood and privately wondered if this was a show…or if she was being serious? It was disconcerting. He left the room without another word.

Amy opened her eyes as the door slammed shut and stretched out her limps, yawning as she did so with a happy grin on her face.

"Alright, so if they're smart…they'll have a few more guards watching me instead of some of the others. There's no cameras in the cell either...interesting...That said, I've got no idea how I can get out of this. I just have to hope one of the others do before its too late." Amy said as she laid down on the floor of the room, closing her eyes again. Acting serious to throw off Gust was kind of interesting, and it was an awesome way to throw him off. Amy decided that she may as well get some shuteye before the mayhem began.

* * *

Meanwhile:

* * *

Leah let out an audible sigh of relief as the door to her cell slammed shut. The larger man, Hurricane, had interrogated her quite thoroughly. She gave a abridged half-truth version of the story, devoid of any meaningful details. Hurricane was quite annoyed with this until Leah mentioned the presence that had taken her from her time. The large man seemed quite taken aback by the description of the strange goo that had attacked her and left the room in quite a hurry.

Leah would be gone by then though. To do that though, she needed to slip out of the shackles that held her arms to the wall.

The C.I.A. agent took a deep calming breath before she wrenched her left arm through the shackle, groaning as her thumb was forced against the shackle. Leah shut her eyes tight and forcefully pulled until she heard a faint sound and a stab of agonizing pain, which was her thumb finally dislocating. Fighting back tears, she slipped her hand through the shackle and clumsily reached down into her belt, pulling out a tiny knife behind the belt that she kept on her person. She let out a hiss of pain and broke the other shackle's lock, freeing her other hand. Leah gripped her aching wrist and relocated it forcefully, fighting back a scream of pain as her eyes watered. She leaned against the wall, shutting her eyes for a minute to regain her composure and allow her frantically hammering heart to calm down.

"Reacquire weapons. Find the others…God I hope they're still alive…" Leah murmured as she passed her thin knife to her other hand. She quickly moved to the side of the room, lurking just next to the doorway, and waited. Sure enough, just a few minutes later, a solider walked into the room, staring at the empty shackles in shock. Leah grabbed the man from behind and slammed the knife into the man's neck and jerked it sideways, slitting his throat. The man had time to let out a strangled gasp before collapsing onto the ground. Leah spent a minute relocating her thumb, causing her to fight back a scream of pain, before she picked up the soldier's weapons, an SMG and a pistol that after a moment's inspection, saw was a PDW-57 and an M1911. Leah clipped the pistol to her belt and scrounged up ammo from the corpse, sighing slightly. Zombies were one thing…This was a real life human, one who thought and breathed and knew right from wrong. Leah had killed before when necessary though, in the line of duty. She supposed this would have to be another one of those times, she thought as she picked up her Quick Revive pack and strapped it to her waist. Hurricane had been asked her what was with the pouch when he was interrogating her and had forgotten to take it with him.

Leah slipped through the door and bumped right into another soldier.

Both were surprised by this, but Leah reacted first, whipping her pistol into the face of the soldier. The man stumbled backwards as Leah ran behind him and shoved him into the room that she had been held in. She kicked the door shut behind her and then ran forward and grabbed the man from behind, covering his mouth tightly before kicking the man as hard as she could in the back of his kneecap, breaking his leg. The man's muffled screams echoed out before Leah grabbed the shotgun the man held and tossed it away from him while he was screaming.

Leah tossed the man on the floor and aimed her pistol directly at the man, who lay on the floor panting in pain.

"You…bitch…" the soldier panted, starring down the barrel of the pistol.

"Where are my friends?" Leah asked steadily.

"Why should I tell you?" the man asked before the safety clicked off.

"Look at your friend over there. That's why." Leah responded, gesturing to the bleeding corpse in the side of the room. The man seemed to realize he was not in a position to bargain.

"Fine…The Doctor's a few doors down from here, if there's anything left of him. Interrogation Cell C-1. We're in C-6…I-I think some of the others are down the hall in Block A. We're in Block C," the man replied shakily.

"Where are our supplies? Our weapons?" Leah asked.

"Inventory, in Facility A. We're in Facility B. They probably haven't gone through your stuff yet…Getting info out of you all was our first priority, though they're busy trying to take down some zombies that have popped up on our radar to the west. Really scary stuff...You've got maybe an hour or two before they're back here to talk to you again."

"Is that so?" Leah asked the man.

"You got really, really that the Gale and Gust aren't here. Or you'd be dead!" the man spat at her.

"Gust and Hurricane…I suppose one of them was the man who came in earlier? They're the ones in charge, right?" Leah asked. The man nodded before he suddenly jerked backwards, a bullet going into his forehead and killing him instantly. Leah sighed again and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Alright. I'll find Richtofen first. Then I'll free the others and get our gear. Easy…" Leah muttered as she walked into the wall, pressing herself against the wall and quickly making her way down the hallway. The hallways themselves were made of concrete, with steel beams within the walls displaying information and such. However a recurring them was an emblem with a massive bear surrounded by lightning bolts. In the center of this emblem was the number 17.

Leah ducked into a doorway next to Cell C-6 as two soldiers sprinted by, armed to the teeth. She slipped out of the door and watched the door that contained Richtofen for a few moments before walking up to the door and casually knocking on it. Leah aimed the pistol at the door before the door opened slowly, a soldier peering out from the door in confusion. A bullet went into her visor, sending her reeling into the cell with a cry of pain that fell silent a moment later. Leah quickly went into the cell and let out a gasp of horror at the sight of Edward Richtofen.

The man was hanging limply from the wall unconscious, chained by his arms and legs to the metal floor. His uniform was tossed to the side of the room, leaving him bare-chested and showing the proud wounds the soldiers from before had inflected upon the Nazi soldier. Wicked lacerations and horrific bruises were all over his upper body, where most of cuts were still leaking fresh blood onto the floor. Leah grit her teeth in disgust, trying to fight back the urge to hurl, but approached the Doctor nevertheless, worry overcoming her revulsion.

"Doctor…Are you still there?" Leah said as she slowly approached the man, limply hanging from the ceiling.

"No…Maxis…You are the monster, not I…" Richtofen whispered in reply, his voice barely audible. Leah lightly shook the Doctor, jarring him enough for him to come to his senses. The man's eyes fluttered open and his blindingly looked around the room before his eyes landed on Leah. After a few moments focus came to his sight, allowing him to see that one of his allies had come for him. A brief look of pure relief appeared on his face before that was interrupted by a fit of coughing, some of which was blood on the floor.

"Doctor…What did they do to you?" Leah asked quietly. Richtofen did not reply verbally, so Leah fired several shots into the many chains binding Richtofen up until he sank to the floor, no longer being supported, where Richtofen let out a groan of pain from his weakened body hitting the cold metal.

"I…I am alive…They were thorough…but I told them nothing…" Richtofen rasped, closing his eyes. Leah grit her teeth as she pulled Richtofen's arm over her shoulder and began to slowly move him out of the chamber.

"Can you walk?" Leah asked the Nazi. Richtofen's eyes flickered open and he nodded, taking a moment to get his bearings before moving alongside Leah. The two moved into the hallway, trying to come up with a plan that would lead them to freedom.

* * *

Meanwhile:

* * *

Simon let out a howl as an electrified baton met his back, sending waves of agony rippling through him.

"Take a joke, asshole!" Simon snarled at the massive hulking brute Hurricane, holding the baton. This brought Simon several more smacks of pain before the man was told to back away by Gust, who was sighing deeply. It had been several hours since the group had been captured, and Simon was the final person for Gust and his brother to interrogate. He himself was getting a clearer picture of what was going on, but he needed more.

"Come on, man. Just tell us what we need to know. Do you really expect us to believe you know next to nothing about any of Group 935? Or the goo monster that attacked you that Leah mentioned?" Gust asked Simon placidly.

"I…keep telling you. One minute, we're in 2011 having a call on Skype. Then we're getting attacked by goo monsters and we wind up here. We heard a weird voice that taunted us all the while. There's nothing else to it, other than we're with those guys for our own survival. But if you're going to not listen, then what's the point?" Simon hissed before looking at the big guy and showing him the less damaged side of his face.

"Hey Nancy. I think you missed the other cheek. Wanna help me out with that, darling?" Simon asked the Hurricane, who let out a loud snarl of rage.

"Stop! Hurricane…Take a walk." Gust said calmly to the large man, putting a hand on his shoulder. The man sighed deeply before walking out of the room.

"I have to say, you're good at riling people up." Gust said admiringly.

"Well, I've had years of practice. Can't be a total douche to my friends and the new guys, you know? Hell, they can't get my wonderful sense of humor anyway." Simon remarked with a weak shrug, wincing at the pain.

"What I don't get, is what you guys are about? I mean some of the stuff you've got and facility you run…I mean this is some high end stuff. Who are you?" Simon asked Gust. The soldier sighed again and began pacing around the room, silence enveloping the air.

"We are Sector 17. One of the last remaining research groups dedicated to furthering human development through the study of Element 115. We've established a home base here and a home base in the United States, in Washington D.C. My name, as you know from our first session, is Gust. I'm one of the senior special agents chosen to lead our specialized combat squads into fights."

"So you're the leader of a private little army?" Simon asked.

"More or less. Me and my bro call the shots in regards to the soldiers, while Marvin runs the other facets of the program. He's the real guy in charge though. I'll be seeing him in a little bit though," Gust explained, leaning against the wall.

Simon remainder silent at that, before asking, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I'm not an idiot. Brute force solves nothing. However, meeting someone halfway when they've got their back against the wall? Well…Maybe you'll start remembering sooner or later. Maybe we'll let you go before one of your friends suffer a tragic end. I'd rather not have that, but if that's what it takes…" Gust shrugged.

"I see…" Simon muttered, staring at Gust.

"Yep. You all won't be seeing the light of day for some time. We've got loads of soldiers and all the fancy tech we could ever need. You're here to stay, man." Gust said as he got up off of the wall and opened the door, walking out without so much as a backwards glance at Simon. The sailor let out a scream of fury as the door shut once more.

* * *

Leah shoved Richtofen into the corner of the room as another batch of soldiers ran by, thankfully ignoring them. She then noticed that the door they were next to was an old fashioned one with a doorknob. Leah waited until the soldiers were farther away, said a prayer, and shot the lock of the door and quickly ushered Richtofen into the room. It was a small and rather old office, with a desk and several filing cabinets.

"Huh…I wonder what this room is for?" Leah wondered aloud as she shut the door behind her.

"Most likely records…" Richtofen whispered as he leaned against a nearby wall, shutting his eyes tight as he slowly tried to button up his uniform. His breath was coming in rapid gasps, but he waved a hand at Leah when she tried to approach.

"Fine. Suffer then, asshole." Leah muttered as she turned around and walked over to a nearby filing cabinet. She managed to puzzle out enough of the language, which was some very faint German writing, but most of it was in Russian, which she couldn't translate.

"I can't read this, Doctor. Can you?" Leah asked Richtofen, glancing backward before gasping and running over to his side, seeing the man having passed out. Leah swore under her breath before remembering her Quick Revive syringes, and that they were able to heal injuries like this. Quickly reaching into her bag, she dug out a blue syringe and began removing parts of Richtofen's uniform, injecting the injuries of Richtofen with the strange liquid. The Nazi slowly came to and jerked back with a growl, seeing that Leah was very close to him.

"Sorry, I had to treat your injuries. It's not going to make you 100%, but you should at least be able to stay conscious." Leah explained to the Doctor, handing him his jacket. The Nazi painfully rose to his feet and put on his jacket, buttoning it up with a sigh of exhaustion. This really was turning into quite a long day.

"It's a shame Samantha can't overrun this compound like she did all the others. I would love a chance to loot this place. I'll have to make due with tearing out their throats instead," Richtofen remarked, leaning against a wall. Leah looked around the small office they were in and shrugged before pulling out a nearby filing cabinet's drawer. Richtofen limped over to Leah and lost his footing, falling downwards before the young woman caught him. Richtofen grit his teeth and braced himself against the desk.

"I will be fine. Continue to search." Richtofen murmured in reply to the Korean agent. Leah nodded warily and grabbed a handful of the files she couldn't read and set them in front of Richtofen. The Doctor's eyebrows raised slightly at the title as he picked it up for a moment before opening it. The Nazi's eyes went wide when he saw it a file on Group 935. It was a list of all of the known members of the project. Most of which were crossed out with a red X, confirming that they were dead. The only ones not confirmed dead were Sophia (her last name was very conveniently faded so Richtofen couldn't read it), Harvey Yena, Korenev Zakhar Afanasievich and Henry Porter. Richtofen's eyebrows raised at the third name, though it was replaced by another question. How were they able to confirm the deaths of most of Group 935? Richtofen flipped the pages and continued reading through several reports, thankfully finding a particular document after several minutes passed.

"Interesting…very interesting…it seems that after the fall of Group 935, the Americans and the Russians began fighting over the leftovers of the technology we left behind. Both groups quickly created sanctums to practice their experiments with Element 115 and to hide the experimental weaponry and byproducts of our research. Sector 17 existed beforehand and was neutral in its allegiance, so it became that sanctuary. It says here that the sanctuary in the United States is known as Area 51," Richtofen explained as he quickly scanned the documents.

"Byproducts…You mean the zombies from the past that were killed?" Leah guessed.

"I imagine so. And possibly some that were still alive. However, it does not end there…according to this record, Sector 17 received a massive influx of funding after the end of the war from Stalin himself. They began to experiment heavily with Element 115, resulting in what I believe is some of the technology we saw before. It is quite impressive, though given we did the ground work them, I am not surprised they've done well in the time since our fall," Richtofen muttered. His mouth twitched into a smirk at the words on the next two folders, both of them secret code-name projects.

"Project Mercury and Project Thunder…Interesting…" Richtofen whispered as he opened both files and began reading over them both, drinking in the information he was reading, pertaining to a particular Soviet Cosmodrome. Project Thunder was apparently the name given to the development of the Thunder Gun, while Project Mercury was the code-name for something called a Gersch Device, which was designed to create portals, though this project had not gone as well as the Thundergun project.

Richtofen found a page at the back of the file on Project Mercury, detailing something else. Hidden within the depths of the compound was a prototype Teleporter. Richtofen decided on the next place the group would be heading was this location.

"What's that?" Leah asked the Doctor as Richtofen closed both files.

"It seems as though Sector 17 helped fund research in this particular Soviet Cosmodrome. We need to locate the teleporter within that facility and get it operational once more. There seems to be heavy traces of Element 115 within the facility, which means that it should contain plenty of power to provide us a way to the moon…Where Samantha lies in wait for us," Richtofen explained quietly. Leah nodded in reply before pulling out another file that was written in Russian, which she handed to Richtofen. The Nazi began scanning the file, which contained more information of Sector 17. Richtofen decided that since Leah had saved his life and had proven be more competent than the others, he could provide her with some information. So as he read, Richtofen kept up a quiet running commentary for Leah, explaining the backstory of Sector 17.

In concept, it was a Polish version of Group 935 created in 1942, striving to explore the possibilities of harnessing Element 115. However, due to the unstable environment surrounding Europe at the time and the fact that many countries were not in a good place during the time, Sector 17 became a group where Europeans could go to devote themselves to science. Made primarily of Polish and Russians, the group was comprised of mostly scientists at first. Due to Group 935's considerable progress in the field of research, they had difficulty acquiring sufficient amounts of the Element in order to study its effects. After the fall of Group 935, Sector 7 managed to seize a great deal of notes and equipment from the facilities left behind, allowing them to reverse-engineer them. As a result of this, they became quite influential, spreading all across Europe as they received more funding from various countries.

"Meaning that they are a threat to us," Richtofen summed up. He snatched a bag off of the floor and stuffed the important folders into the bag, determined to read more later. Leah passed Richtofen the PDW-57 she had acquired earlier, along with a few clips of ammo. She checked over the magnum for a moment before lowering it and looked at Richtofen.

"So how to proceed? The men here are considerably well-armed and trained, and we're unsure of just how big this place is and where the others are at." Leah asked the Doctor. Richtofen opened his mouth to reply before an alarm began ringing, cutting him off.

"WARNING. WARNING. CODE RED IN PROGRESS. PRISONER ESCAPE IN PROGRESS. I REPEAT. PRISONER ESCAPE IN PROGRESS."

Richtofen chuckled as he opened the door to the hallway, a determined gleam in his eye. Leah followed behind him, her knife in one hand and her pistol in another. They saw several soldiers barrel past them, in too much of a hurry to notice them.

"The marine guy busted out! He's killing everything!" one of them shouted as they retreated down the hallway. Leah smiled inwardly, glad that Dempsey had figured out a way to escape as well. They'd regroup with him and bust the others out too.

"Well that's no fun! Dear Dempsey has started the fun without us! Hmph! I suppose that I will have to simply ensure that my kill count is higher than Dempsey's. Come Leah…Let us bath in the blood of these fools!" Richtofen said as he stepped into the hallway, a defiant grin on his face. So these idiots thought they could usurp Group 935 and attempt to gain the power that was rightfully his?

He would show them all just how foolish they really were.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Next chapter is gonna be a lot of fun. Just going to say that._

Q and A (You know the drill. Review the chapter with feedback and leave a question, and you'll get it answered):

Lastly my question: what is your favorite map on zombies?

 **Man, that's a tough one. I like all of the maps for different reasons and some I absolutely adore. I would have to be a tie between Mob of the Dead and Origins. While Origins has the Elemental Staffs and incredible setting and a great many other good things. However, I also love the atmosphere and the characters of the MOTD. I also think the map has a special spot in my heart because it's the first map I got over 200,00 points in, the map I first went over 40 rounds on, and the first map I ever completed the Easter Egg on.**

Because Amy is nuts, will she try Pack-A-Punching herself? Cause honestly, that sounds like it would be hilarious to see, Amy trying to shove herself into the machine.

 **I wouldn't say Amy is nuts, per say, but she's pretty eccentric and thinks a bit differently than the others. As for Pack-A-Punching herself, she would probably suggest it at some point, or recommend one of the guys stick a certain part of their body in the machine to see if it'll upgrade that…Shit, let me write that down.**

 _That's all for now folks. Though I do have one last final remark._

 _Now, some of you may be aware I did a collaborative Skyrim fanfic with JC785 (AKA Joe). Well, Joe forced me to leave that story after he decided not to pull his own weight. However, I've been doing some work on a new Skyrim fanfic of my own. Which leads me to my question. Would this be something that you all would be interested in reading? Please let me know in the review section, via PM, or in the poll on my profile page by voting in the poll I have set up there. Thanks in advance!_

 _Anyways, please show your support with a favorite, follow, or a review. Keep being awesome, and I'll see you next update._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	9. Let's Start A Riot

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _So yeah, that was probably the first actual delay of this fic. I think. But then again, I mentioned that the update schedule for this story probably won't be constant. I do have other things going on. And I still updated this thing quicker than I've done delays before, so…BAH._

 _So the reason for this 'delay' is because of my Pokémon story, "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guardians of Life and Destruction." I just posted a week or so ago the biggest chapter yet for that story, figuratively and literally, at 20, 588 words. And that was a chapter that gave me a lot of issues, so it took extra time to do. But I'm happy with the end result anyway, so it's all good in the end. Thanks for being patient everyone._

 _Since the last chapter going up, I've managed to beat Gorod Krovi with the help of the fabulous John and CarriedCoin. This means I've completed every Easter Egg in the game at this point, save for the finale map. Speaking of…_

 _HOLY SHIT. REVELATIONS. OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD…I can't put into words the hype for this map. The storyline it revealed and the map itself are going to be absolutely beautiful._

 _Speaking of storyline, let's talk about the fact that I still haven't done the updated chapters for Apocalypse: DOTD. Yeah, that still hasn't happened. BUT...Starting next update I will be uploading revised chapters every update and explain which ones have been revised. I apologize for the delay there, but going through my old stuff takes time, and revising it takes longer. But I will get it done, since the next batch of chapters I have aren't too crazy._

 _Onto less relevant topics! I just recently got a job, so my time for writing will be cut down quite a bit. Updates should still be out as frequently as they have been, but again, this story has a unpredictable schedule._

 _Anyways, shoutout to the fantastic people who reviewed last chapter, which includes RandomName3064, as well as a crapton of new reviewers (at least in regards to this story), which includes Dustchu, xxAutumnCelestexx, Jlyman, TheOtherSanics, CarriedCoin, Prince Hans, TMDF-Artyom, and neophytos . vrondis._ _Thanks for the support everyone,and its great to see you all again!_

 _Super special awesome shoutout to Dustchu and Prince Hans for being a double reviewers, supporting both this fic and PMD GLD by reviewing both stories. Thank you so much!_

 _Alright folks, I hope you're ready for a prison break!_

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter 9: Let's Start A Riot_

* * *

" _Whatever you are physically...male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy-all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but_ _you_ _are the light inside."_ ― Cassandra Clare, _Clockwork Angel_ _._

* * *

"Oh dear god, he's killing everything!"

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"To hell with this!"

Dempsey scoffed as the remaining soldiers fell back into the hall, allowing the marine to take stock of his situation. He had three stolen weapons on him, each with a few mags each. He had an idea of where the others were, but the problem with that was that the prison/interrogation area of this admittedly massive complex was the fact that…well, it was massive.

"Oh well…At least I managed to get free from that stupid cell," Dempsey muttered as he double-checked his FN FAL. Four clips left. Plenty.

Dempsey recalled with some amusement how he had managed to actually use his raw strength to snap the chains from from the wall in his cell and had been able to strangle the guard that had come to investigate to death. He wondered how he had done such a thing, but at this point, he was ready to dismiss anything weird that happened because he had encountered far crazier.

Dempsey checked both directions before making his way down the hallway, not really bothering for stealth since it wasn't really his thing and the soldiers already knew he was here, as the blaring alarms told him so. The marine stepped over the four slain soldiers, shaking his head. Sure, he was a marine and even enjoyed killing, but these people were human. They still knew right from wrong, they could think and dream. They had families…that they would never see again. They were gone from this plane of existence and had passed on from this world.

 _"No point in thinking thoughts like these, Tank. You got over killing a long, long time ago."_ Dempsey thought with a wry smile before he shook his head and got back into the zone. He was here to bust out his friends and Richtofen and get back to saving the world. No need to dwell on thoughts that distracted him from his mission.

Dempsey continued forward, but as he passed by a hallway he was blind-sighted by a solider lunging at him from the side, swinging his rifle at the marine-

That Dempsey caught with absolutely no effort. The marine raised an eyebrow in amusement before kicking the solider in the chest, hearing several ribs crack, before the marine whirled around and threw the solider into the ground. Dempsey strolled over to the man and place the tip of his FN FAL to the man's head.

"Who…what ARE you!?" the man hissed. Dempsey couldn't help but smile as the perfect reply came to mind.

"Heh. Who am I? That's an easy one…" the marine chuckled as he pressed his boot down onto the soldier's damaged chest and aimed upward, shooting a round into a soldier that had just appeared in the hallway. The man went down with a gurgle as blood streamed down the wall he fall against.

Sargent Tank Dempsey then aimed back down at the trembling soldier's face, a cocky grin on his face.

"Meet Tank Dempsey. Your worst nightmare."

* * *

Richtofen and Leah decided that their next step would be regrouping with everyone's favorite marine.

This step was instantly derailed by the arrival of two soldiers, one of them carrying an RPD. Richtofen and Leah ducked back into the hallway as gunfire erupted in the hallway.

"Ach, the bullets are giving me a headache!" Richtofen hissed as the gunfire roared by them.

"Suggestions?" Leah asked the Nazi.

"Wait for them to reload and kill them, I suppose." Richtofen mused as he readied his bullets stopped for a brief moment before Leah and Richtofen stepped out from cover and opened fire, downing both of the soldiers.

"Come!" Richtofen growled as he limped down the hallway. Leah rolled her eyes, but followed the Doctor as they both made their way down the hallway. As they passed by one of the downed soldiers, they managed to grab a keycard that would allow them to open the cell doors. It took several attempts, but they eventually managed to find a room that held Amy. After a brief firefight that ended in Richtofen disemboweling a soldier with a combat knife because he "is batshit insane" as Simon puts it, Leah opened the door to reveal her friend alone in the room doing a handstand.

"Well about time you both showed up!" Amy pouted as she toppled over on the ground. Richtofen raised a hand and opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and remained silent, lowering his hand a moment later.

Richtofen got the key to her chains and freed the young woman, who hugged Richtofen in thanks and barely avoided being stabbed in reply. After scolding Richtofen, Leah handed Amy a somewhat bloody shotgun from one of the slain soldiers and made her way out of the cell, only for two soldiers to see them. Gunfire came at them from the other end of the hallway, forcing the trio back into the cell.

"I'm going to tear out their livers!" Richtofen hissed as the bullets pounded against the door.

"Maybe we can ask them nicely to stop trying to kill us." Amy suggested.

"May I kill her?" Richtofen asked Leah.

"No."

"Please? I'll refrain from attempting to kill Dempsey for the remainder of the week."

"No, Doctor. Just…think of some way out of this." Leah said as she pressed herself against the door. The three fighters then noticed that the gunfire had abruptly stopped. Amy poked her head out ever-so-slightly after a few moments and saw a familiar man striding past two corpses.

"Well, well, looks like I saved your asses. You're welcome." Dempsey chuckled as he shouldered his FN FAL.

"Dempsey!" Leah said with a relieved sigh.

"Good to see you folks made it out alright. You girls ain't hurt, are ya?" the marine asked as Amy and Leah ran over to him.

"No, we're pretty much unharmed. Richtofen's pretty banged up, despite what he'll tell you." Leah replied with a rueful smile.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Hey Doctor Asshole, you didn't tell them anything, did you?" Dempsey asked the Nazi as he approached.

"Aside from telling them how much of an idiot you are, I told them nothing." Richtofen growled, placing a hand against the wall to support himself. He didn't show it, but the healed wounds had taken a lot of stamina out of him and he was in a substantial amount of pain. But weakness was not something he could afford to show. Not now...or ever.

"That's good. How about the rest of you? What happened with you?" Dempsey asked the others.

"I was purposely confusing people. I think it worked...Or its possible I just weirded someone out. Either way, I win!" Amy chirped as she wiped off her bloody shotgun off on one of the bodies on the ground.

"Aside from some of the fighting stuff that happened to just us in these hallways, nothing. I gave them information that was useless…though Hurricane seemed interested in the goo monster that attacked us." Leah remarked before the sounds of shouts reached their ears.

"Ahh…Fresh meat." Richtofen breathed as he reached down to one of the corpses in the hallway, drew a second knife off of body, flipped it into the air and grabbed the handle of the knife, before hurling it across the hallway. The knife flipped through the air and embedded itself into the throat of a soldier that walked into the hallway but a second before. The others opened fire on the downed soldier and his fellow soldiers, forcing them back into the hallway.

* * *

"So, we've gotten some answers out of the group. Mainly the younger guys, but it's something at least. I was really expecting for us to have to kill them." Gust said as he leaned against the back wall, regarding the man in front of him. The man in front of him offered a wry grin on his aging face.

The man before him was getting up there in years, but his brown eyes seemed to brim with life. He wore a crisp grey and white suit with a dark blue tie complete with a fedora. His grey hair and beard added to the illusion that this was a kindly old man that would fit in anywhere.

But he was anything but.

Marvin Allias was the leader of Sector 17, and was a man who always had a plan. Always. Even when Sector 17 was desperate for funding and struggling to maintain any source of legitimacy, he remained confident that the organization would prosper. And prosper it did. He now had a force of highly trained soldiers searching the world for any traces of Element 115 and any artifacts that were involved with them and their creation. One device in particular interested him…One that he was very determined to find.

"Now, now…I doubt it'll come to that. In time, once they're captured of course, we'll get all the answers we need. Now, how goes our research into the…other things I asked you to look into?" Marvin said with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"Well…We're still unsure just where the Summoning Key is. It's as if it's been shuffled from one dimension to the next, and that makes it impossible to really study, sir. The only way we can tell even that is based on the text we deciphered in that cave in Brazil. We do believe it's in this dimension, though. Hurricane thinks Group 935 got ahold of it a while back though based on some faded records we recovered from a castle out in the mountains, but where they could be hiding Summoning Key is anyone's guess." Gust admitted with a sigh.

"That's a shame. Well, I suppose we'll have to make the remaining member of that little group spill the beans, hmm?" Marvin said with an amused expression.

"Edward Richtofen…Incredible that he just walked into our compound. It's like a gift from the gods, huh?" Gust mused with a small smile hidden underneath his helmet.

"Indeed. Richtofen vanished from the world all those years ago seemed like a cruel twist of fate, since those who knew about Element 115 were searching the ends of the earth for him. And now here he is…right on our doorstep. Along with the suspected test subjects for his super solider program. But where do the others fall into play?" Marvin muttered.

"It seems like they're just tagging along with Richtofen. They were ripped out of their world by a strange force, or so they say." Gust replied.

"Its certainly possible…" Marvin whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice before it was gone, the man straightening his posture in his chair.

"The power to traverse the sea of time itself. Incredible...Group 935 apparently figured it out, or rather, Richtofen figured it out, so why can't we? Maybe we can work with the Teleporters we possess and achieve a similar result?" Marvin muttered.

"It's certainly possible, sir."

"Oh, the possibilities of this…But you wouldn't understand the intricacies of the universe, would you, Gust?" Marvin asked his subordinate.

"Not really, sir. Between keeping my brother out of trouble and managing the soldiers, I don't have time to think about the bigger picture of the universe." Gust chuckled for a moment before he realized Marvin was giving him a strange look.

"Take a seat, Gust. Allow me to…educate you on such matters. Because with what we do here…The universe revolves around the work we do here. You have to understand that. The more we grow, and more power we wrestle to our side, and closer we get to discovering the locations of items thought lost to time…The more the universe will benefit from what we do." Marvin said as he placed both of his hands together and bridged them.

* * *

Richtofen took point as the fighters that had broken free from their cells quickly came up with an attack plan.

Dempsey was quickly nominated as the leader when it was pointed out that Richtofen's primary mode of transportation was limping.

Upon interrogating a guard, the Dempsey made his way to where Simon's cell was located while the others went to go break Takeo out. A quick swipe of the keycard later and Dempsey slipped into the room, easing the door shut behind them. Simon was hanging limply against the wall, unconscious and covered in bruises, cuts, and blood. Dempsey walked over to the man and lightly shook him.

"Come on, Simon. Wake up, sailor." Dempsey muttered, shooting the chains and catching the young man as he fell to the ground. Dempsey noted the man's extensive injuries with an appreciative whistle. From the looks of it, he had been in one hell of a fight.

"De…Dempsey?" Simon murmured as Dempsey hefted the sailor over his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, I'm going to break everyone else out and we're going to get the hell out of here." Dempsey muttered as he double-checked his weapons.

"Figured you'd leave me behind…Hell, you only just met me, Tank. I'm just baggage, mate." Simon hissed as he tried to keep focused, his words coming out in ragged gasps. Dempsey needed to get the kid some medical help, ASAP.

"Nah. We marines have a bit of a saying, don't you know? Semper Fidelis. Always loyal. Ain't leaving nobody behind. Not even that damned Kraut. Now grab this gun, because we've got company coming." Dempsey said with a confident grin, handing a rifle to Simon. The sailor weakly took it and offered a broken chuckle as he and Dempsey made their way out of the cell, met by the squad of soldiers with their guns aimed at them. Dempsey was glad that the door was just cracked.

"Alright. You're both not going anywhere. Prepare-" one of the soldiers said before Dempsey flung the door open and both he and Simon raised their guns as they stepped out of the doorway, opening fire and downing three of the soldiers with shots to the throat and one well-placed shot that shattered a soldier's visor. The remaining soldiers opened fire, forcing the sailor and marine back into the cell, with Dempsey getting clipped in the hand.

"Shit!" Dempsey growled, eyeing the flowing red dripping down his fist as the door was slowly pushed open by the bullets hitting it.

The soldiers that had pinned the infamous Tank Dempsey down grinned victoriously, knowing that the others would be easy enough to deal with once the marine was out of the way.

"Heh. Hardass. Come on, let's-" one of the soldiers began saying before his neck exploded in a shower of blood. The other soldiers looked behind themselves and were gunned down by a Nazi wearing a wide smile.

"Hahaha! Yes…fall before the Doctor." Richtofen hissed with mirth as he watched crimson fluid fill the hallway.

"You get way too much enjoyment out of killing your fellow man, don't you?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow as Richtofen began wafting the smell of blood towards his nose.

Richtofen offered a dark snicker in reply, limping forward and yelling, "Come, come, Dempsey. We do not have all day! Stop hiding in there like the coward that you are!"

"Alright, first off, suck it. Second, fuck you. Third, shut up. Leah, come fix Simon up, would you?" Dempsey asked the CIA Agent. Simon leaned against the wall while Leah rushed over to her friend, injecting him several times with the Quick Revive serum.

"Thanks Leah…" Simon breathed, closing his eyes in relief. Leah treated Dempsey's hand with the Quick Revive serum as well, taking note that she only had a few of the syringes left. Leah opened her mouth to say something to Simon when she was yanked away from him and shoved into a doorway by Richtofen. Gunfire erupted down the hallway as the others scrambled to cover.

"Hahaha! You bastards are going to pay for what you did!" a voice yelled down the hallway.

"He's got some pretty heavy firepower. Not entirely sure when he's going to run out of bullet's either." Dempsey said as he pulled out a knife and used it as a makeshift mirror, checking on the solider. To his dismay, the solider was approaching, and would soon render their cover moot.

"If any of you have any bright ideas, now would be the time to speak up!" Simon growled as he tried to move from cover, but the sound of extra gunfire joined the first gun, creating a deafening roar of bullets.

"Our friend has company!" Dempsey barked.

"So NOW what!?" Simon yelled

And then the gunfire stopped.

"Umm…Dempsey, what's going on?" Amy asked the marine, who was adjusting his knife to see why the gunfire had stopped. Dempsey then grinned as he saw a familiar face standing down the hall and got out from cover with a laugh, raising a hand in greeting.

Takeo stood in front of two soldiers that both had their throats slit, with the warrior himself holding a slender blade in his hands coated in blood. The swordsman offered the marine a nod in return before he addressed the others.

"You all have escaped as well. That is…good." Takeo murmured as his eyes drifted to each of others.

"We've still got to find Nikolai and James. Simon and Richtofen were hurt pretty bad, so they're going to need to take it easy until we can get them back on their feet." Dempsey informed Takeo.

"I am fine!"

"OK Richtofen. How about you do fifty pushups right here and now?" Dempsey said to the Nazi.

"Nien, Dempsey. How about a propose a harder challenge for you instead? Counting to fifty in the first place!" Richtofen shot back.

"Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty…and missing the point." Simon muttered as he shuffled forward. Amy allowed Simon to use her for support, helping him move over to the others. "Takeo. How'd the hell did you get free?" Simon asked the samurai. The quiet soldier shrugged in reply, though he raised a clearly dislocated wrist in response.

"I guess great minds think alike." Leah said with a pleased grin, though that smile vanished a moment later. "Wait, why haven't you relocated it yet?"

Takeo sighed and muttered, "I was lax in my knowledge of such matters, like an insolent child."

"That's gibberish for 'I have no idea how', I believe." Amy stated after a beat. Takeo shot her a look before Leah interjected.

"Stop it, both of you. Relocating a wrist isn't something just anyone can do without knowing exactly how to do it. I'll relocate it, just…stay still." Leah said as he walked over to the samurai. She grabbed the warrior's proffered hand and began relocating it as carefully as she could. Takeo grimaced for a moment before Leah successfully relocated his wrist with one final movement, causing the warrior to sigh with relief. Leah stepped away from Takeo, sporting a faint blush that Simon and Amy caught and one that Leah hoped Takeo wouldn't see.

"Unsurprising. She always did get flustered around guys she thought were cute." Simon muttered in Amy's ear. Amy simply grinned in response.

"T-there. How's that feel?" Leah asked Takeo after a moment of the warrior moving his hand. The warrior nodded after a moment and Leah replied, "Good. Now, what's our plan of action?"

"I'd say its break out Nikolai and James. Thing is, these hallways are getting a bit hot for my taste. I say we keep an eye out for them or interrogate the answer out of a soldier, and find a ride out of here." Simon said to the others.

"Obviously. Let's keep moving, people. Simon and Richtofen, hang back. Watch our sixes in case any of those assholes try to get the jump on us." Dempsey said to the two men. After a nod from Simon and a disgusted look from Richtofen, the group was moving again…Though…

Dempsey crept over to Takeo, glancing at Amy and Leah who were chatting several yards up ahead with their guns drawn. Dempsey leaned over to the samurai. "Tak…I know a guy like you knows how to relocate your wrist. Swinging that sword around, I know you've had to have done it to yourself at least a few times." Dempsey muttered to the warrior. Takeo chuckled quietly, producing a grin from the marine in response.

"You did that just so she'd grab your hand and start blushing and shit, didn't you?" Dempsey asked. Simon and Amy weren't the only once who noticed Leah's reaction to holding Takeo's hand a minute ago. Takeo didn't reply, though his smile became more pronounced as he walked past Dempsey to join Leah and Amy.

" _Tak, you sly dog you."_ Dempsey thought with a smirk on his face, though after a glance at Leah's smiling face as she glanced at Takeo, he had to admit that man had the right idea. A bit of a morale boost after getting captured wasn't a bad thing at all.

* * *

After a brief discussion on the meaning of life and metaphors about the universe, Gust finished his report. At the end of the discussion, Marvin was smiling as the solider told him that he had an idea where a possible Group 935 base of importance. Gust suspected it was somewhere in the Hawaiian Islands, but it was simply a guess. There were about a two dozen places that seemed more likely candidates, but that was a work in progress.

"I still don't understand what the Summoning Key does, sir. You never quite explained it, just said that it was of the utmost importance that it be found." Gust remarked as Marvin regarded the soldier in front of him with an almost pitying look.

"Gust…You have to understand. Many of the artifacts that we chase are items with powers beyond our wildest dreams. Items that can harness the power of life and death and even that of our very souls. The Summoning Key is the greatest of them, and perhaps even the oldest…Created by the Keepers themselves. Truthfully, I do not know the true extent of its power. I just know that the power contained within that is power unlike that we have ever seen, even with our dalliances with Element 115." Marvin explained as he rose to his feet, wincing and holding his leg for a moment before straightening himself.

"And now…I believe it has found itself within our world. Our dimension. The signs are present, they all point to that precious relic being here. If Sector 17 was able to gain control of the Summoning Key…there would be no telling the amount of good we could accomplish with it." Marvin continued explaining, looking away from Gust.

"Do you really think that this…Summoning Key can do it? Stop the zombies. End this nightmare? Make things how our group has always wanted things to be?" Gust asked Marvin, who looked back at him with a hard look that softened a few moments later.

"Of course I do…The power of the Keepers may be our only hope. You see, Gust…We are but part of one dimension…a single piece in an infinitesimally large puzzle. A shard in a massive mirror that reflects the entire universe. But what do you do when you just smash the entire thing apart?" Marvin asked with a whisper, his tone breathless as he regarded the man in front of him.

"I don't follow…sir." Gust said, unsure of where his employer was going.

"Well, I don't expect you to understand. That's a conversation for another day. Perhaps my mind is muddled due to the exposure of Element 115, maybe old age is finally getting to me, or maybe I just like rambling. Either way, get on your way to stop the intruders. Provide your brother with backup and all that. I'll keep an eye on things from here. Don't beat yourself up if they get away though…We've got bigger things to look into." Marvin said with a small smile, shooing Gust out of his office with a swift wave of the hand.

"R-right. I'll head out then." Gust said as he opened the door. He lingered in the doorway for the briefest of moments before quietly shutting it behind him. Marvin briefly wondered if either Gust or his brother would be able to kill any of the zombie slayers that had fallen (or rather, crashed) into their midst, or if they were the ones who would be slain. He supposed it didn't matter in the end. As long as he got what he wanted in the end, it hardly mattered who lived or died.

It seemed to be best to just sit back and enjoy the show.

* * *

"There's our truck!" Simon said as he limped ahead of them, the others firing back into the doorway they had just vacated. Simon took a moment to fire two shots into the two surprised soldiers in the motor-pool before he spotted the vehicle they had arrived here in. Simon made his way to the truck and found to his surprise several bags of theirs from before. After a quick glance, it seemed as though the only thing Sector 17 had taken was their weapons. Everything else was there, though, to be processed later no doubt. He supposed that their weapons had taken priority over the items they had on them, which were really nothing important.

However, the car was totaled. Not even the engineering of WWII could make a truck durable enough to survive a collision with a concrete wall. Simon limped over to a nearby vehicle, a sort of tricked out truck that could hold them all easily, and opened the front door of the vehicle.

"No keys. No keys…damn it." Simon hissed as he inspected the area around the vehicle.

"Anyone here know how to hotwire a car?" Amy asked the group, earning several shaken heads in response.

"Well, looks like I have to do it." Amy said with a grin as she walked over to the driver's seat and began messing with something underneath the wheel.

"Because you can totally do that." Simon muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Everyone else, hold the line!" Dempsey barked as he stepped out from cover and opened fire for a few seconds before stepping back, with Takeo, Leah, and Richtofen doing the same.

"When I get ahold you fools, I'm going to tear our your…hmm, I actually don't know which organ I want to rip from your bodies." Richtofen mused as the gunfire from the soldiers erupted down the hallway.

"How about the kidneys? Those would probably fetch a good price if we came across a black market or something," Leah suggested.

"Hmm…Possibly. We should probably discuss this later, ja?" Richtofen said as he stepped out from cover to shoot back at the soldiers when only three bullets went out. Richtofen pulled the trigger once and got a click, signaling that he was completely out of ammo. Just as Richtofen was pulling back into cover, one of the other soldiers moved into the hallway and fired several shots from his pistol towards the Doctor, two of which went through the Nazi's chest.

"Shit!" Dempsey growled as Richtofen fell backwards onto the ground, choking on his own blood as it quickly began gushing out of him.

"Leah!" Takeo said to the woman, who nodded and pulled Richtofen out of the line of fire and quickly began injecting the gunshot wounds with Quick Revive serum and coating her hands with the Nazi's blood. Richtofen weakly stirred, his eyes wandering as Leah sealed up the wounds once again, leaving her with a single Quick Revive syringe remaining.

"Get the doc to the truck!" Dempsey ordered Leah. The C.I.A. Agent nodded and gently pulled the Nazi to his feet, allowing him to lean heavily on her. Dempsey's lips were set in a snarl as he held down the trigger, forcing back the soldiers from Sector 17.

Leah quickly helped Richtofen to the truck, marveling that the Nazi was still somehow alive despite the beating he had endured and the two shots to the torso he had received.

"Come on, just stay awake, Doctor," Leah said quietly, hefting the man into the back of the truck. Richtofen let out a hiss of pain as Leah moved him into the back of the truck by his armpits. She realized that despite closing the wounds, there was no getting around the amount of pain the doctor was in and the amount of blood he had lost.

"Nien…Get your hands off of me." Richtofen said weakly, though he could do little to stop her from moving him into the back of the truck they had appropriated. When Richtofen was settled against the back of the truck, Leah returned her attention to where Dempsey, Simon, and Takeo were holding the soldiers back.

"Dempsey, we've got to find the others!" Leah said to the marine.

"No shit. Which is why you all are gonna hold the line. I'm going to head down that side hall and bust the others out. Tak and Simon, protect our ride. Leah, keep Richtofen conscious. Amy, keep being awesome." Dempsey ordered the crew, gripping his FN-FAL.

"I won't let you down!" Amy chirped, saluting the marine as the truck suddenly roared to life. Dempsey grinned in reply before plucking a grenade off of his belt and hurling it at the wall inside the hallway, causing it to explode by the soldiers pining them down. Dempsey burst into the hallway and gunned the soldiers down as he raced by them.

" _James and Nikolai. God I hope those two are alright."_ Dempsey thought as he raced down the hallways. He truthfully wasn't super close with any of the soldiers who had battled at his side with against the undead. He absolutely despised Richtofen on every level. Takeo was alright, but the man didn't seem to care for him that much. He shared a bit of a friendship with Nikolai, but the man was drunk all the time so it's not like he could have a decent conversation with the guy. The others…well, he liked them.

Simon was intelligent, tactical and a smartass, and he had respect for him despite him being a sailor rather than a marine. He supposed it was just because they both swore as Americans to protect their country. James, on the other hand, was a bit of a calmer sort of fellow that wasn't afraid to mess someone up should he need to. The fact that he stood up to Dempsey made the marine respect the cop more if anything else. Leah was kind of a sweetheart, just being helpful and nice while being a badass all the while. He suspected Takeo might be developing a liking towards the girl and that the same was true, but didn't want to call either one of them out on it. And then there was Amy, who was odd as hell but cheerful and humorous. He couldn't help but like someone who put smile on his face by being a goofball.

"Yeah…No one's getting left behind in this hellhole." Dempsey growled as he pounded down the hallway with even more urgency. He caught sight of a room that had the door wide open and, taking a chance, ducked into the room after seeing the name of the room being "Inventory and Processing." Leah did mention that their gear was apparently somewhere in "processing". Maybe their stuff was in there.

Dempsey found himself in a lab of sorts combined with series of lockers spanning the far side of a fairly large room. It reminded Dempsey of a supply room more than anything else. It did have several glowing chunks of Element 115 floating in test chambers though. Several of their weapons were also in test chambers, while some of their not Pack-A-Punched weapons were lying on a nearby table, no doubt ready to be examined. The room was clear of personnel, who had probably evacuated when they began raising hell.

"Jackpot." Dempsey breathed as he strode over to the table with the weapons. He realized that he wouldn't be able to get all of the weapons in one go, and decided to go with what was important. After a minute of rummaging around the room, he was carrying a Bowie Knife and Takeo's katana, as well as his Lamentation (that he freed from one of the test chambers) and a Python. The remainder of the weapons would just slow him down or were too cumbersome to carry with him, he realized with annoyance. Making a note of the room for later, Dempsey ran out of the lab and towards the cell/interrogation block. He emerged out of the building and made his way to Facility B, where he swiped the keycard and entered the building, only to find someone waiting for him in the large room that would lead him to the other cells. It was a large room that vehicles would drop off prisoners to, so that they could be quickly transferred to a cell. The place itself was a steel-grey metal room with several concrete pillars in the room that stretched to the ceiling.

As for the person that was waiting for him in the room, Dempsey couldn't help but be glad to run into this person again.

"Well, marine, looks like you idiots had to go and do things the hard way. I love it when people do things the hard way." Hurricane said with a small chuckle, pulling a sort of LMG crossed with a grenade launcher and aiming at Dempsey, who was already aiming his Lamentation at the man.

"I bet you like things harder." Dempsey joked, despite knowing it was a bad time for it. "How about you run along, and let me and my guys just be on our way?" Dempsey offered, his aim not wavering despite knowing he was outgunned. He hoped the Pack-A-Punched ammo his gun had could penetrate Hurricane's armor. He sure as hell wished he was wearing some.

"Not a chance, marine. You went and disrespected me and my brother by breaking out and killing our soldiers. We can't take that lying down." Hurricane remarked as he leveled his 'gun' at Dempsey. The marine pulled the trigger of his own gun before Hurricane could reply in kind, shooting apart the massive abomination of a weapon and reducing it to a sparking scrapheap. Hurricane hurled the gun at Dempsey and pulled out a C275, firing several shots at Dempsey. The marine weaved around, dodging the shots, but before he could return fire Hurricane was rushing him and tackled him to the ground, knocking away his Lamentation. Dempsey kicked the man off of himself, drawing his Bowie Knife and Python as he rose to his feet. He saw Hurricane do the same, unsheathing a cutlass off of his back. He swung the blade downwards, causing it to burst into glowing purple flames.

"Like it? I call it Aratus the Purifier. It's one of the latest Wonder Weapon prototypes we've designed, based on what your German friend helped do. Bet you wish you let us kill him now, don't you?" Hurricane laughed as he waved the blade about, keeping his gun trained on Dempsey.

"For the record, I hate Richtofen. A lot. I saved him because he knows what's going on and we need him." Dempsey replied seriously, though his own pistol never kept the man ahead of him out of sight.

"Whatever, tough guy. I'm done talking! Let's play!" Hurricane hissed, sprinting towards Dempsey. The marine simply laughed in reply, lowering his pistol slightly and raising his Bowie Knife.

"You kidding me? I've been waiting for a good fight." Dempsey breathed before he lunged forward, meeting Hurricane as their blades clashed.

* * *

As Dempsey sprinted past the fallen soldier in a hallway back in Facility A, the shadows left behind by the corpses of the soldiers they had killed began to slowly distort before pooling together into a portal.

Eris poked her head out of the portal and, seeing that the coast was clear, opened the shadowy portal wider to allow the rest of her slender frame to escape the darkness. Eris took a moment to realize she had done that all on her known and grinned victoriously.

 ** _"You're getting the hang of it…Well done, little one."_** Yena whispered in the back of her mind. Eris felt a flush of pleasure at the tone of pride and affection in the back of her head.

"OK…So we're trying to figure out what this place is, right?" Eris asked Yena, taking a few steps forward.

 _ **"Yes…This place is very unusual. I've been across many of the timelines during my time, and not one of them involved an organization like this. This…is something new. Something different, and it gives me a very bad feeling."**_ Yena murmured, his voice sounding…uneasy. Nervous, almost, which was unusual. For something to make Harvey Yena worried was something to be taken very seriously.

"Well, where do we start?" Eris asked.

 _ **"Get information. Anything and everything we can. Sneak through the shadows, eavesdrop, slaughter the soldiers and drink their blood if you have to. You're able to gleam some information that way, but it's difficult to process."**_ Yena explained as Eris began walking through the hallway.

"Sounds like it."

 ** _"Luckily, you've have a very sexy voice in your head that's more than willing to help process the information. So go nuts,"_** Yena added a moment later.

Eris opened her mouth to reply when a loud noise rang out and Eris felt a sharp blast of agony erupt from her left arm, spraying the wall with crimson. Eris cut back a cry of pain and slumped against the wall, turning around as she did so and saw three soldiers facing her.

"I don't know who you are, but you are not allowed here. Get on the ground!" A man with a thick Russian accent growled as he advanced towards her, his steaming-pistol drawn and aimed towards Eris.

 _ **"Kill them,"**_ Yena growled.

" _H-how…I've never hurt anyone before. I still don't know how to fight…"_ Eris thought back, taking a few steps back before slipping on her own blood and falling to the ground.

 _ **"Allow my memories to guide you…"** _ Yena hissed into the woman's mind as the soldier slowly advanced towards her. Eris lowered her head and closed her eyes, letting the darkness close around her mind.

 _A chaotic battle ensued, all around her. Children wielding weapons of darkness crowded around her, looks of fear and anger on their faces. Oh how they would all fall…The three older heroes that stood with them were not a threat to her either. No…Only the young man hiding behind a pair of sunglasses and the girl that reminded her so much of Maxis it made her sick were the real threats. She could see the tall buildings of New York rise around her as the shadows moved at her command, moving with the slightest flicker of thought. She had never felt so free. So alive._

 _Shadows…_

 _The same group of children, lying injured and bleeding on the edge of a cliff. Pain wrecked her body as smoke consumed the air around her. Pain and energy thrummed through her body, as did the power of the blood she had consumed already. The word vampire came to mind, but the word couldn't really describe what she had truly become…Monster sounded just about right though. The morning sun shined down on her from above, making feel weak, but she was still powerful enough to finish them all off with ease._

" _Did we get him?" a dark-skinned girl asked from somewhere ahead of her. Eris slowly raised Crow, a cruel grin crossing her features as she heard the boy with_ _a freckled face and dark hair_ _speak back._

" _See guys?" the boy replied. His relief-filled grin was visible through the smoke. Relief that the monster had seemingly been defeated, after laying waste to their entire crew of fighters._ How naïve _, she thought. She remembered how she had promised the boy that he would be the first to die from their little group…how fitting._

 _The gun fired and a bullet soared through the smoke before making contact with the boy's chest, tearing a hole directly through his heart and filling the air with crimson life fluid as the powerful bullet ripped through his heart._

 _A scream of horror rang out as the smoke cleared, revealing the monster within the smoke, grinning horrifically as the black-skinned girl clutched the boy's lifeless body. With this child's death…with every death, she would grow stronger. The blood spilt from this battle slowly traveled along the ground, unbeknownst to the children as they starred at their fallen friend. A parting word later, and she had vanished into the shadows._

 _Blood…_

Shadows and blood.

Eris's eyes opened at the sound of a gunshot ringing out, but they were intercepted by two slick black tentacles that suddenly shot out from beneath her, forming a barrier of sorts.

"W-what on earth!?" the Russian solider yelped.

"Open fire!" one of the other soldiers barked, firing his machine gun at Eris, who raised her hand again, willing the shadows to expand and block the incoming gunshots. The shadows held strong against the metal, effortlessly blocking the gunfire, responding to very subtle movements Eris made with her hands, though she suspected they responded to thought rather than any kind of physical medium.

 _ **"You would be right."**_

"So, this is what it feel like…Through your memories, I can feel how to control the shadows…" Eris whispered as she looked down at her hands, marveling at the shadows twisting around her body.

" _ **I can only guide you for so long. The best teacher for something like this is experience, but I will help how I can. You need to absorb blood of your own, little one. Blood is the source of our power. With it flowing through you, power will follow afterwards. These fools seem to have plenty of blood to spare…Now, go get em'!"**_ Yena hissed as the shadows in front of Eris lowered slightly. Eris felt the pain in her shoulder fade away slightly as the shadowy tendrils in front of her picked her up and set her on her feet.

"What the hell is that!?" the man in front of her said worriedly as he stepped backwards, reloading his gun. Eris didn't allow him to finish the action, instead choosing to throw out her arm and send a tendril of darkness surging towards the soldier. The man let out a yell as the tentacle of darkness grabbed him by the leg and pulled him to the ground before splitting in two.

"N-no! Help me!" the man shouted to his comrades, but then the two tendrils of darkness impaled the man through his chest and tore him apart, covering the other soldiers' boots with blood. Eris gasped at the sight before she noticed the blood coating the shadowy tendrils she was controlling. With Yena's memories guiding her, she willed the blood to flow through the shadows and into her. Eris fell to her knees as she felt her first taste of blood as…whatever sort of monster Harvey Yena had turned her into.

 _ **"How does it feel?"**_ Yena asked Eris, whose eyes were heavily dilated. The blond-haired woman's breathing was slow and heavy for several seconds before it slowly calmed. Eris closed her eyes, her hands tightening into fists as she slowly pushed herself up to her feet, regaining control of herself.

"I'm ready to get some more blood, if that's what you're asking." Eris replied as her eyes opened and began to gleam bright red. A faint cackle of mirth was her reply from her Master as rose to her feet, swaying slightly as the two soldiers slowly began backing away.

"I'm sorry about what happens next. I'll try and make it quick." Eris said to the two of them, smiling sadly at them. Eris sprinted towards her prey, who opened fire on her again with their screams of horror echoing down the hallways. Eris lashed out with her shadows, the tendrils becoming deadly sharp blades that sliced through their weapons with ease. The shadowy warrior held out her hands, causing the shadows to pin the soldiers to the walls.

"P-please…Have mercy on us…" one of the men whispered, his voice shaking with terror while the other soldier babbled in Russian. Eris smiled sadly before she had the shadows dug into each of the men, puncturing several major arteries and spilling blood all over the floor. The blood flowed into Eris's body, seemingly vanishing from sight as it touched her.

"So this is what you meant…Shadows and blood…" Eris whispered before she heard another shout. Eris was greeted by another squad of Sector 17 soldiers, some of them wielding glowing crossbows.

"Disarm them. Take them out with your shadows, or use my own weapons." Yena whispered as Eris stood her ground, flinging her arms out and mowing down the soldiers with extreme ease.

"It's incredible…These are armed soldiers trained to deal with threats like me, and I'm cutting them down like they're nothing…" Eris said quietly before sighing with relief as more blood flowed into her body.

"Now you see why I was so overconfident in New York…With the power we wield, we're practically invincible. But be careful not to become so intoxicated with the power and bloodlust that you do not see potential threats for what they are." Yena warned Eris as she drew Yena's massive pistols, Crow and Wolf. They were far too heavy for her, even with her newly enhanced strength. She allowed the weapons to dissipate into the shadows. She was about to ask Yena a question when a bright green flash blazed into existence in front of her, causing her to raise her hand to shield her eyes. She peered through them after the flash had faded to see a man wearing a strange outfit standing in front of her.

"Wait, this isn't the theater." The man stated in a rather odd accent. It sounded like a mix of American and English, or something to that effect. A quick reference check from Yena told her that this man was Illuzio, the last remaining magician in the world.

"Damn it, Sophia. Every time with you!" Illuzio growled as he braced himself against the wall for a moment.

"OK…Plan of action. Regroup with Richtofen, figure out what the hell happened…We've got to make sure that nothing else disrupts the plan. No matter what we have to wrestle away control of the M.P.D. away from that brat," Illuzio said to himself almost frantically before he turned around and saw that he wasn't alone.

"…Hello. Who on earth might you be?" Illuzio asked slowly, his voice light.

 ** _"Do not engage…He's much stronger than you at the moment. Even if he's not nearly as powerful as he is in our time, he's still a huge threat."_** Yena warned as Eris took several slow steps back.

"I should ask you the same." Eris replied quietly. Illuzio offered a cat-like smirk in response, crossing his arms.

"If I had to wager…I'd say that you're a spy of some sort. There's no way someone as innocent-looking as you could have infiltrated a place like this unless you either had some serious training or possess abilities that could make quick work of these soldiers. I bet you've killed some of them yourself. Perhaps even the soldiers in this very hallway." Illuzio mused as he slowly took a step forward. Eris took another step back.

 _ **"Do not engage…"** _ Yena hissed again.

"Now…You're going to tell me everything you know about this place. If I like what I hear, I might even let you live." Illuzio said, his tone as smooth as silk despite the threat. Yena fed more memories of the jester to Eris. Once upon a time, Illuzio had been a sharp-witted and friendly jester with a thirst for knowledge. However, his mind was perverted by an unknown force and his personality was split into two halves. One half was psychotic and murderous, while the other half was pleasant and wanted to make the world a better place. Both sides of him had a hint of insanity within, however Yena himself was unsure of when exactly Illuzio snapped, but he knew despite the Illuzio in front of them having a clear mind he was still a huge threat to them.

 _ **"Eris, bail."**_ Yena ordered. Eris made a move with her hand, to will the shadows to take her within their grasp, and that's when Illuzio struck. The jester flung out his hands, releasing a series of green sparks that exploded upon contact with the walls around her, sending the woman flying to the ground with burns marks on her body. Eris's body lifted off of the ground and slammed into a wall before was flung down the hallway like a ragdoll.

"Isn't it a shame when people don't listen…I'll give you one more chance, darling. Tell me what I want to know…Or I'll rip it from your mind." Illuzio said in a still pleasant tone as he approached Eris, who was huddled in a pain and shaking.

"Come now, my dear, don't cry. I just want information…However you will die if you attempt to do anything else besides speak to-" Illuzio was cut off when Eris pushed herself to her hands and knees, coughing.

"There we go. Up, up, up…Now, what is this place?" Illuzio sang as Eris got to her knees, her face looking at the floor. Eris then rose to her feet, despite Illuzio raising his hands to cast another spell, and that's when she looked up.

Illuzio took a step back with a gasp escaping his lips.

"What…what are you?" Illuzio hissed, jumping backwards as his hands began glowing dark green.

Eris's response, as her shadow began to swirl and dance around her, was to widen her new dangerous smile and reveal her razor sharp teeth, her crimson eyes gleaming with bloodlust as she slowly crouched on the ground, preparing to strike.

"I am shadows and blood. And soon...you will be too!" Eris growled as she leapt towards the magician, teeth bared and shadows whirling around her.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _There goes another one. Sorry for the delay, I should be back on track for next update._

Time for Q and A (usual rules apply):

Since this installment features a new OC crew entirely, will the final installment to the trilogy feature the Knight Crew, Bradburn Crew, the original Zombie-Slayers, their children, Juliet, and the rest of the characters that were seen in both installments, banding together to stop a powerful entity, even more powerful than Richtofen and Samantha, to save the 'multiverse'?

 **Possibly. Let's see how this story turns out before we rule anything out though.**

also, do you PS4? i PS4

 **I do not PS4. I Xbox One.**

Guess what Nick? I followed, favorited, and reviewed! Are you happy now?

 **Yes, yes I am. Keep doing that reviewing thing and I'll stay happy, sir. Seriously, you all underestimate just how happy reviews make me. I love hearing anything you all have to say on my chapters, even if its that you enjoyed it.**

Which Richtofen are we using right now? 1st iteration or 2nd? And are you covering the BO3 maps? (SoE, DE, ZNS and GK)

 **Mmm…WW2 Richtofen if we're being specific, but this isn't Origins or Original Richtofen. Keep in mind the timelines, this is a different Richtofen than the ones from the games.**

 **And as for me covering the maps from Black Ops III? It's looking like I probably won't do it this go around. I know I covered the Black Ops II maps in Book 1, but with how I want this story to go, those maps won't be covered quite yet. Maybe in Book 3. I've got a lot of ideas that I have to save for Book 3 that I can't use in this story.**

Now, my question(s) for you is... Do you think, Black Ops 3 is the end of the Zombies Storyline? If so, would you rather they start a new Zombies Story, or just end it there? Or would you just prefer that they make an only Zombies game, basically with either remastered or remade maps from Zombies? TTFN for now!

 **I think they're going to end the storyline with Revelations. With the all of the building up that they've done here, I can't see the map not having a satisfying ending. It's the same logic I used for Origins except in reverse. And honestly, I'd rather they end the story here, but use the ending to explain a lot of other things going on. There's so much in this universe that hasn't been fully explained or covered.**

 **That said, I would love if they made a zombies-only game with all remastered maps and cutscenes illustrating the events that happened before, after, and in between when the maps take place. If they didn't do that, then I'd love a game depicting what I mentioned above, the untold story of COD Zombies. We can only hope for that to come in the future, I guess.**

 _Alright, so that's the Q and A done. Two last things before I wrap up the author's notes._

 _1\. As some of you may know, I'm currently running a Pokémon Mystery Dungeon story alongside this one. If you like Pokémon at all and enjoy my writing, I strongly urge you to check out "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guardians of Life and Destruction." I'm nearing the end of the first arc of this story, but I would love if some more of the readers from this story went and checked that one out. If you do so and enjoy what you're reading, let me know via review, favorite, or follow. Thanks in advance!_

 _2\. The next thing that I need to address is my poll. I've had it up for a while now and no one has voted on it. But I need feedback ASAP. Long story short, I have in mind a Skyrim story that I would very much like to do but I want to know if people are interested in me writing one. It wouldn't cut into Apocalypse or PMD GLD's update time all that much and won't be updated super frequently, but I thought it might be a fun side project since this story became a full-time deal. Anyways,_ **please vote on the poll and let me know your feelings towards a possible Skyrim story.** _Or review and let me know what you think about a Skyrim story. Thank you for reading this._

 _Anyways, that's all for now everyone. Thank you so much for the feedback and support, it means the world to me. Be sure to favorite, follow, and review and all that awesome stuff, and I'll see you all next update…which won't take nearly as long as this one did._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	10. A Show of Hands

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Let's just get to the point. I know it's late, but whatever._

 _My thoughts on Revelations._

 _First off, I followed MrDalekJD and NoahJ456 for pretty much the whole time they were trying to solve the Easter Egg, and eventually I just stopped tuning in after a week of no developments, only bothering to when news finally came out that Noah had reached the boss fight._

 _And then the Easter Egg was beaten…and then we got our final cutscene. The conclusion to over 8 years of oceans of blood, fields upon fields of empty bullet casings, and more zombies killed than there are inhabitants on this planet._

 _We got an ending to it all. And not gonna lie…It was disappointing._

 _Not bad. God no. We got answers to several questions, as well as got a cool tie-in to Primus, which I wasn't really aware of until that point. But I will admit, there's a lot of ways the ending could have been better. Giving us more details as to what precisely happened with all of the characters, instead of just leaving us with more questions than answers._

 _Somewhere, I'm still hoping for a true Super Easter Egg. I've got my own reasons for it, but until more info comes out about it, that's all I'm saying. I will ask though that you all leave your thoughts in the review section and let me know what you thought of it and where this might lead zombies down the road for Treyarch._

 _Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes TheOtherSanics, I'm just another fan, Dustchu, and a new reviewer in the form of akana45. Thank you for all of your support!_

 _Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead has been officially revised up to chapter 10 (though I still have more edits to do on Chapters 5 and 6 that won't be done until later this week). I won't be touching those chapters ever again once I'm done editing them, and will be continuing my revising efforts from this point on until I'm done. If you want to reread DOTD to see the new revisions and all that, then that's awesome and so are you. If you review those updated chapters, then something is very wrong with you…And I think that's amazing._

 _And now, after a nearly two month delay…SO MUCH FOR BEING BACK ON TRACK…_

 _Enjoy._

 _And Happy Halloween you spooky creatures of the night!_

* * *

 _Chapter 10: A Show of Hands_

* * *

" _Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people."_ Carl Jung.

* * *

"Hit me with your best shot, little girl!" Illuzio laughed, a slender black blade flashing into his hands. It was a blade he had been a master with back before…before the disaster that ended the life he had before all of this. He had named the blade Nox, after the darkness that often surrounded him on his late nights practicing his magic in his village. He often found solace within the darkness of nightfall. He observed the strange woman across from him, and saw Eris get into an unsure fighting stance, though she slowly shifted into a better stance after a few moments.

Illuzio kicked off of the ground, soaring towards her with a savage yell of fury as he stabbed towards her, but the woman jerked backwards with inhuman swiftness, his blade sliding past her through the air. Illuzio whirled around, slashing at her head, only to meet air.

The Jester growled and unleashed a series of wild slashes, only for every single one to be dodged. The jester jumped back and got into a guard stance, eyes narrowed.

" _ **With just the small amount of blood you have flowing through you, your natural speed and strength is far above that of a regular human. But again, that's irrelevant. Strike that fool down!"**_ Yena growled.

" _I thought you said not to engage?"_ Eris asked in her mind.

" _ **That was before I realized that you're getting the hang of this and actually kicking his ass. Now go and do just that!"**_ Yena barked as Illuzio's hand crackled with energy, sending a bolt of lightning towards the shadowy warrior.

Eris sidestepped the blast and sent a tendril of darkness at the jester, causing him to backpedal away as he sent a spark at the attack, destroying the shadows completely. Illuzio's hands flashed green again and flames leapt to life out of nowhere, rushing down the hallway. Eris hissed in pain as the flames rushed by her, but shot down the hallway and tackled Illuzio around the middle and slammed him into the wall. She then pulled him away from the wall and whirled him around as Yena's memories flowed through her head, showing her the way and guiding her movements. Eris let out a hiss, drawing her fist back and punching Illzuio in the face and hearing a sickening crack. Illuzio soared down the hallway, blood streaming down his nose as he smashed into the floor, rolling several times before stumbling to his feet.

"My word…Looks like you've got a bit of bite to you. That said…I want answers, and I will get them." Illuzio said as he held a glowing hand to his face, healing the injury.

The jester then held his hand out in front of him, creating a series of glowing knives that flung themselves at Eris. The young woman held out her hands, sending several tendrils of darkness at the knives that embedded themselves within the darkness. Illuzio smirked a waved his hands again, causing the knives to glow bright white and explode, reducing the shadows to mere vapors. Eris sent more shadows towards Illuzio, who replied with a series of sparks that detonated around the hallway, destroying her shadows.

" _ **I can't get to him now. He knows your shadows aren't strong enough to last against what he can dish out."**_ Yena growled as Eris crouched low before sinking into her shadow.

"What the…" Illuzio muttered in confusion before he felt a hand grab his leg. He looked down in time to see Eris beneath him, her eyes gleaming crimson in the infinite darkness below him. Eris pulled the jester down towards her, causing him to let out a scream of horror before being punched right back out of the pit. The jester smashed into the ceiling before vanishing from sight, appearing a short ways down the hallway as Eris leapt from her shadow pit, panting heavily but smiling nevertheless.

" _ **Nice work. I think you rattled him."**_ Yena said approvingly. Illuzio's breathing calmed as he regarded the young woman with fear, but anger and frustration quickly followed as fire leapt into his hands.

"Burn." Illuzio growled holding out his hands as emerald flames sprang to life along the lengths of the walls. Eris took several halting steps back before Yena whispered into her mind a suggestion. Eris fell backwards into her shadow, which began shifting and contorting as the flames rushed over where the young woman had been just a moment before.

"Where are you?" Illuzio hissed, the flames on his hands burning brighter than before and the magician tried to sort out where the strange woman had gone.

"Boo."

Illuzio turned around in time to get kicked in the face with a boot coming at him with hellacious force, followed up by several razor-sharp tendrils of shadow slicing through the air and ripping through the jester, spattering the wall with his blood and causing the flames to cease at once, leaving the hallway clear once more. Illuzio soared down the hallway, shaking as blood seeped from his chest.

"W-what…are you?" Illuzio coughed as he clamped a hand down on his chest and forced healing magic into it, painfully sealing his injuries. He got to his hands and knees and spit out some blood and rose to his feet once more, grabbing his jaw and healing his mouth as well, staring down the young woman that was visibly exhausted from her efforts and seemed to be contemplating the jester's answer.

"I don't know what I am, anymore. I used to be human, but then I was changed. Now? I am a tool…For someone who will cover the world in darkness. It's better this way, isn't it?" Eris asked with a sad smile, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction from Yena in return from that remark.

"No! Of course not! This world was damned by that stupid girl! Me and Edward will set things right." Illuzio replied as his hands began emitting a strange black light.

"You say that…But your path will only cause more pain than anything else. I watched your plan in motion, and from what I've seen you just made things worse." Eris replied quietly, remembering the waves of zombies and valiant fighters from New York, all those years in the future that she had left behind.

"SHUT UP!" Illuzio bellowed, placing both of his hands together and releasing a crisscrossing wave of green energy. Eris was ensnared in the attack, which sent searing pain through her body as if it had been doused in flames, and was sent crashing through the wall into a nearby cell.

"I keep forgetting that despite him being weaker in the past, he was still very skilled as a magician. This may be a problem." Yena said unhelpfully as Eris got to her feet, shaking in pain.

"Any ideas to stop him that don't involve getting smeared all over the floor? I'm not sure I can beat him like this." Eris replied breathlessly. Eris then noticed that a man with dark-skin and wearing bloodstained clothes was looking at her with a bemused expression.

"What on earth?" the man asked, eyeing the woman in surprise.

"That's not good." Eris remarked, slowly getting to her feet.

"Remember what I said on our way here about being able to do whatever in the past? It works out. Free the bastard so he can rejoin his pals and subdue Illuzio!" Yena ordered Eris. The woman obliged, using her shadow to slice through the bindings of James with ease.

"Be safe, alright? I think your friends are in the next building." Eris said to James before adding, "You didn't see me. OK?"

"I…OK." James relented after a moment, rolling his wrists around. Eris smiled slightly and leapt out of the cell, flinging out an arm and sending a shadow racing towards Illuzio as he rose to his feet. The shadow split into two and grabbed the jester by his arms before hurling him into the nearest wall. The jester cried out in pain before vanishing on the spot, reappearing in front of Eris with blade in hand. The jester jabbed forward, stabbing the woman in the chest and twisting the blade clockwise, grinning as the woman screamed in pain as white-hot flames sprang to life along the life of the blade.

"Burn! Burn! Burn in hell, you bitch!" Illuzio cackled with glee, drawing back a hand crackling with magic. Eris shut her eyes despite Yena screaming at her to move-

A gunshot suddenly rang out, the bullet going through Illuzio's skull and spraying Eris with blood. Illuzio stumbled backwards with a howl of pain, clutching his forehead as blood streamed down it. Without missing a beat Eris hurled a barrage of shadows at the jester and washed over the magician in darkness, smashing him through the wall of the building and sending him outside. Eris fell to one knee, panting heavily at her efforts, before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"That was pretty awesome, ma'am. How'd you even do that?" the man she had freed asked Eris with a small smile on his face as he lowered the pistol in his hand. Eris blinked in surprise, realizing that the man had basically saved her life, and offered a smile in response.

"Let's just say that I made a choice, and I don't regret that choice at all." Eris replied as the man helped her onto two feet. Her wounds were quickly sealing up, thanks to the blood she had consumed just minutes ago. Even the pain was fading away.

"Well, it busted me out, so I'll say I don't regret your choice either. By the way, the name's James. Nice to meet you," James said to the young woman.

"Eris…I'm Eris." The woman replied, extending a hand towards the police officer.

"So what was the deal with the shadows? That's what those were, right?" James asked the woman.

"It's a really, really long story. And I can't answer that right now. I'm…well, looking around this place a bit. Trying to get some info." Eris explained lamely, though James nodded in response.

"We're trying to figure out what's going on too. You ever heard of Group 935 by any chance?" James asked.

"Here and there." Eris replied before Yena spoke up.

"This man and his friends come from the future…The very time that me and you both left from. Give or take a week or so. Now, call me a gambler, but if I'm reading this man right he seems to be the type to hold a secret. I'd tell him that you're a time traveler like he is, and that you're here to help make things right." Yena explained as Eris regarded the man for a moment.

"Uh…You alright? You're kinda spacing out there." James asked, looking bemused.

"Sorry. Felt a bit weak there for a moment. Uh…Best way to explain this is that I'm from your world. Your time period. 2011, in the United States." Eris began to say before James cut her off.

"Really? Do you know what's happening there?" James asked the young woman, his voice sounding excited now.

"Uh…Well, it's kinda hard to explain. Zombies are attacking then, just like they are now. I'm able to travel through time thanks to my control over shadows. But when we stumbled upon this facility…we realized things didn't quite add up. Something weird is going on here…Something really weird." Eris muttered, trying to shake the inherent feeling of wrongness that came from being here. She could feel something lurking within the building…Something that definitely should not be.

"Wait, we?" James asked.

"I uh…I have a friend who's guiding me. You can't see them and it's hard to explain, but they're the reason I can do this in the first place. They want me to keep an eye on your group, because they think you all are important piece to the puzzle." Eris explained to the officer as Yena let out an annoyed hiss.

"Right…Well, if you can control shadows, ain't much we can do to stop you if you decide to keep an eye on us. If you're on our side, which I think you are since you seem to be against these assholes who locked us up, then I wouldn't mind someone keeping an eye on us." James admitted as he cross his arms.

"It's more like keeping an eye on the four people you and your friends joined up with. You and your friends are…an anomaly. Something that doesn't make sense, if what my friend said is true." Eris tried to explain before Yena hissed, _**"Stop giving him information! We still don't know what he's doing here!"**_

"Weird. That said, we're sure as hell confused as to why we're here as well. If you figure anything out, let me know, would you?" James asked with a small smile.

"R-right, I'll see what I can do. If I'm sure of something, I'll

"Make sure you're sure. Beyond a _shadow_ of a doubt." James said with a growing smirk. Eris blinked twice before she heard a small snicker in her head from Yena.

" _ **God that was awful."**_ Yena muttered, though she could tell he approved of such wordplay and offered the officer a small smile in reply.

"Can do. I-" Eris began to say before she caught sight of a squad of soldiers entering the hallway, led by a lead solider wearing green and grey armor.

"There you are!" Gust yelled out, drawing two pistols and levelling them at the intruders down the hallway.

"Shit! Later!" Eris yelped as she fell backwards. The woman landed on the ground with a grunt and sank into her own shadow, vanishing from sight. James took that time to sprint out of the hallway, hoping to chance upon one of the others. Gust shouldered his weapon, watching the spot the woman had vanished for several seconds in bewilderment.

"Seriously, this job is just…freaking bizarre sometimes." Gust muttered, putting his weapon back into his arms and turning around sprinting after James. James whirled around as a metal door suddenly sank down from behind him, cutting off Gust from chasing him any longer.

" _Security Door C9, activated."_

"What!? No! Who could have activated the security door!?" Gust yelled out.

" _Looks like my new friend decided to throw me a bone."_ James thought as he raced outside, finding himself on a concrete path that led to another building. The officer continued his trek, sprinting through the hallways and thanking whatever God was out there that he hadn't encountered any soldiers. That didn't stop him from grabbing a gun or two along the way, outfitting himself with an RPK and plenty of ammunition. He had to find the others...

* * *

Dempsey ducked under a slash from Hurricane's glowing sabre and delivered a kick to his chest before yanking the blade out of his hand and hurling it away, leaving both of them with just a pistol each. Both tester one-filled soldiers ignored their weapons, however, and began beating the ever-loving tar out of each other. Dempsey had the advantage of sheer power, unknowingly possessing inhuman strength that surpassed even the armored might of the larger Hurricane. Hurricane, however passed armor and protect from most attacks, even if Dempsey's blows did more damage, he didn't really feel all that much from them and Dempsey oftentimes hurt himself while hitting him.

Dempsey himself was dodging more than anything else, after watching Hurricane crave a steel pipe in half with his glowing sword. He decided trying to block attacks with his weapons would be pointless, as they would be destroyed in the process, so Dempsey dodged when he could the struck when presented the chance. However, both soldiers were wearing down. Hurricane from being hit so often and Dempsey from the events that had happened before the fight.

The marine dodged a stab and grabbed Hurricane's arm flipping him over and the pulling him into a neck-lock, trying to break the man's beefy neck. Hurricane tried stabbing Dempsey, only for the glowing blade to scratch his arm. Dempsey let out a shout of pain and quickly let go of the soldier, taking several steps back while trying to use his shirt to scrub off whatever the glowing purple substance was out of the cut that was currently burning worse than anything else he had ever felt. Hurricane rose to his feet with a dark chuckle, waving his blade through the air as Dempsey drew his Bowie Knife, gritting his teeth.

"You think you're hot shit!? HA! You ain't nothing, marine. I was had picked to lead the soldiers of Sector 17 along with my brother. Marvin Allias Rapt will lead us down the path to power and prestige! And you'll be nothing but a rotting corpse in the ground!" Hurricane crowed, drawing back his sabre to plunge his sword into Dempsey's stomach.

"Leave him alone!"

Hurricane was suddenly yanked off of Dempsey and thrown onto the ground about twenty feet away. Dempsey got to his feet and looked around to see the shadows at Hurricane's feet extending out towards him, trying to bind him to the floor.

" _What the hell?"_ Dempsey thought as the shadows around Hurricane ripped away his pistol and threw it across the room before yanking his feet out from under him. Dempsey saw Hurricane slash at the shadows attacking him, slicing through them like paper with Aratus the Purifier. The soldier got to his as Dempsey reloaded his Python, taking a moment to stab at the shadows all around him. Dempsey could have sworn he heard a woman gasping as the shadows vanished, leaving just Dempsey and Hurricane in the room alone again.

"Alright…How did you do that?" Hurricane asked Dempsey.

"I'm just as lost as you." Dempsey replied before sprinting towards Hurricane, ducking a slash from his sabre launching a fist at the soldier's face, only for it to be blocked by a forearm. Dempsey then ducked down and lifted up the soldier and quickly slammed him down onto the ground, surprising him and making him drop his sabre for a moment. Dempsey kicked away the weapon and plunged his Bowie Knife downwards, but Hurricane managed to move his body just enough so that the blade went into his shoulder instead of his throat. Regardless the soldier grunted in pain and with a great effort, kicking Dempsey off of him.

"That hurt…Remind me to make you feel that sevenfold, marine." Hurricane growled as he tossed the Bowie Knife back to Dempsey as he took several steps back and retrieved his blade from the ground, his eyes never leaving Dempsey. The marine ran at the soldier again, this time wielding a combat knife and his Bowie Knife. The two quickly exchanged a series of blows, reducing Dempsey's combat knife to a smoldering hump of metal that he discarded quickly, dodging an overhead slash and delivering a punch to Hurricane's jaw. Hurricane staggered backwards before he flipped Aratus the Purifier in his grasp, wielding it backhanded, as a small laugh escaped his throat. Before he could do anything further, the sound of footsteps pounding down the nearby hallway became audible. Dempsey spotted a familiar figure sprinting towards them, raising a gun, and taking a chance he jumped to the side.

Hurricane howled in pain as a maelstrom of bullets pounded into his armored back, most of them banging off of his armor but some slipping through and piercing his skin, drenching the ground in seconds. Hurricane whirled around and saw James unloading on him with an RPK, and hurled his Wonder Weapon at the man. James stopped his assault and leapt to the side, dropping his RPK as it was sliced in half by the Wonder Weapon and barely dodging the sabre himself. Hurricane staggered forward, fighting back the pain, and held out his hand. Aratus the Purifier stopped its midair flight and began soaring back to Hurricane's outstretched hand. The solider snatched the blade out of the air and turned around to deal with Dempsey, only to find a katana piercing his stomach and a Bowie Knife coming towards his face.

Dempsey plunged the Bowie Knife through the visor of Hurricane and met flesh, with crimson fluid pouring from the visor as the marine drove the knife deeper. Hurricane staggered backward as Dempsey yanked out Takeo's katana and let go of the knife, leaving it in the soldier's face as he weakly staggered backwards, a strangle groan escaping his mouth as blood leaked onto the floor. Hurricane weakly raised a hand up towards Dempsey, taking a step forward, before his legs finally gave out and he collapsed onto the ground.

"You alright, Tank?" James asked as he jogged over to Dempsey.

"Never better. Thanks for the save there." Dempsey said with a grin on his face. He cast a look at the fallen soldier before saying, "Guy put up a hell of a fight though. I'd love to have a rematch but…kinda hard now with him being dead."

"True, true. So, where's everyone else?" James asked Dempsey.

"Everyone but Nikolai is accounted for. They're in a motor pool waiting for me and to bring you and Nikolai back to them so we can hightail it out of here." Dempsey explained as he began rubbing his sore shoulder.

"Is everyone OK?"

"Mostly. Richtofen was hurt pretty badly when I left, and I know Simon was roughed up quite a bit. But everyone else is mostly fresh and we've got a good bit of ammo between all of us. I managed to find some of our weapons and now that I've found you, we can find Nikolai and leave this place. That's the short version in a nutshell." Dempsey explained to the officer.

"Remind me to tell you about what I saw earlier. Shadow-wielding blondes and jesters with magical powers. Now that was some crazy shit."

"Shadow-wielding blondes? Was it a woman, and was she hot?"

"We're getting sidetracked! Where's Nikolai?" James asked, glancing behind him. He was hoping that it would take a while for Gust to catch up to him, but he knew it was only a matter of time now.

"No idea. He should be back the way you came. But I have a feeling that way isn't an option right now, is it?"

"No. That guy's brother is hunting me down right now. And I doubt he'd be willing to play nice when he sees-"

"NO!"

James and Dempsey turned around to see Gust running into the room. His steps slowed down as he took in the sight before him, his arms shaking visibly as his gun nearly fell out of his hands. Dempsey took a step back and aimed his revolver at the solider as he snapped back to his senses, rage filling him. The soldier opened fire on the two men as he screamed out at them incomprehensibly, causing the both of them to jump behind a large pipe connected to the ground for cover, though even then that was quickly being blasted apart as steam erupted out of it.

"Options!?" James asked Dempsey.

"Not gonna lie, I totally forgot about the older brother before you mentioned him." Dempsey admitted, checking his Python for ammo. Two shots. He had to make them count. Dempsey waited until there was a lull in the shooting before stepping out from cover and firing his last two shots at the soldier. Gust yelped as the first shot grazed his arm, cutting through the protective suit. He managed to dodge the second one before he returned fire, forcing Dempsey back behind cover. Gust stood over the body of his brother, fighting back tears of rage as a hoarse scream escaped the soldier's throat

"I've got plenty of ammo, you dirty sons of bitches!" Gust bellowed, raw fury in his voice. James swore under his breath, feeling guilty despite having killed the man in self-defense. He felt a bit bad for Gust, having watched his brother be mortally wounded.

"Ideas!?" Dempsey asked, eyeing his fallen Lamentation on the other side of the room.

"Here!"

James heard a familiar female voice speak, and had time to glance down at the swirling pool of shadows beneath him before a familiar weapon was tossed up to him. The Zeus Cannon. James looked down into the shadows and saw Eris grinning at him before the pool of darkness closed, leaving James and Dempsey alone to fight Gust.

"What the hell was that?" Dempsey asked James, as he checked how much ammo was in the Wonder Weapon. Four shots. Had to make them count.

"A friend. I think. She's been following us for a little while, and I think she knows what's going on. Saw her fight saw weird guy before I met up with you. She's the one that freed me from my cell." James said to the marine, who nodded after a moment.

"Right. You can fill me in later. After we beat this guy." Dempsey said as he clipped his Python to his belt.

"Grab your Lamentation once I blast him away and get the hell out of here. I'm hoping one shot puts him down." James muttered as he moved past Dempsey and out into the open. Gust fired his weapon at James the moment the officer had left cover, but the massive burst of wind that erupted from the man's Zeus Cannon blew away each of the bullets before hitting Gust himself. The soldier weathered the blast for several seconds, somehow remaining standing despite being blow several feet back.

"Blow me, asshole!" James yelled, firing a second shot from the Zeus Cannon. The cyclone managed to sweep away Gust this time, sending him flying into the air. The soldier let out a scream before he crashed into a pipe across the room, leaving a sizable indent in the metal before falling towards the ground.

"'Blow me?' Really?" Dempsey asked as he scooped up his Lamentation off of the ground.

"Don't judge me. Let's bail before his reinforcements get here. We can't get to Nikolai and fight through all of his backup on our own." James said to the marine. Dempsey nodded and led the way towards the exit, leaving Gust alone as he slowly rose from the floor, shaking in pain.

"GET BACK HERE! GET! BACK! HERE! YOU! FUCKING BASTARDS!" Gust bellowed as he stumbled to his feet before collapsing onto the ground again as his leg gave out. The soldier slowly began crawling towards his fallen little brother, ignoring the blood soaking his hands as he dragged his body towards him.

"Jamie…I am so, _so_ sorry…I couldn't protect you." Gust hissed, hot tears stinging his eyes as he yanked out the knife from his brother's visor and removed the helmet. His brother's face was marred by the blade, but he was still recognizable. His baby brother, fearless until the end.

Gust was barely aware that footsteps were filling the room as he shut his eyes, a sob escaping his throat as tears finally spilled forth. The room was quiet, save for the sobs of the brother that had been left behind.

"You let them get away."

Gust slowly rose to his feet, glancing over at Marvin Allias Rapt as the soldiers assembled behind the leader of Section 17, awaiting further orders. The man eyed him for a moment, a smile coming to his face, before he looked down at the fallen soldier on the ground.

"Pity…I rather enjoyed his company. But I guess, in the end, Hurricane served his purpose. We'll get you another partner and tomorrow we can begin looking into our next lead." Mr. Rapt said quietly as he towered over Hurricane's body, examining the body with his smile unchanging. The man nudged Hurricane's helmet with his boot, chuckling slightly. He then looked up and saw that he was gazing down the barrel of a pistol.

That fired a bullet directly into his face.

Gust slowly lowered the pistol as Mr. Rapt crashed onto the ground, his body now still as a bullet hole adorned the older man's forehead. All of the soldiers in the room raised their weapons, but Gust said, "Don't you dare raise your weapons at me…He deserved that."

"So now what…sir?" one of the soldiers asked Gust.

"No idea…I don't care anymore. I'm done with this…All of this. I'm out." Gust spat, jamming his pistol into its holster as he knelt down next to his brother.

"I'm so sorry…I should have been there." Gust whispered, his voice shaking for a moment as tears threatened to spill from his eyes behind his helmet. He debated taking it off, but before he could make a decision he heard a familiar voice speak to him.

"That wasn't a wise choice."

Gust whirled around and saw Marvin standing in front of him, blood streaming down his head, but a small smile on his face regardless. The wound was slowly sealing up before his very eyes. Gust took a step backwards, a strangled gasp escaping his throat as horror filled him. No mortal man could take a bullet to the face and just stand up like nothing had happened. What was going on here?

"I consider myself a fair man, if you could ever call me a man that is to say, so I expect you understand why you're going to pay for that disrespect." Mr. Rapt said quietly, even as his body began to change. His suit began to change, becoming darker as his appearance began to shift. Gust was soon facing an old man in a similarly dressed suit as Marvin, but his hair was now white and his suit was adorned with strange symbols. The man's tie and undershirt were now a dark crimson color.

"The change was necessary to throw off those who are searching for me. I believe my identity is still safe from those who matter." Marvin remarked as he held out a wizened hand and snapped his fingers. The ground as Gust's feet exploded violently, sending the soldier hurtling backwards. The man crashed onto the ground with a harsh yell but rolled to all fours, eyeing his leader with a bewildered expression.

"I will not be disrespected. You and your brother, and all of these soldiers, are mere pawns…You are but fragments of a much bigger universe." Marvin intoned, his voice slowly growing in volume as the man's eyes dilated horrifically. Gust raised his weapon and fired the remainder of the clip at Marvin, but the man weathered the shots like they were nothing. Marvin then waved his hand, releasing a crimson blast of energy that smashed into the ground and sent Gust flying into a pillar. As the soldier fell towards the ground, he was suddenly frozen in midair.

"I know who you are, Gust. Or should I say Jason Williams? I assume you went by another title, big brother, but not anymore." Marvin murmured as he cast a look at Hurricane's slain form nearby.

"Shut up! You don't know me!" Gust barked as he began to struggle against the strange force that was holding him in midair. This was impossible! What was going on?

"I know you better than you know yourself, Jason. I have seen each and every one of your misdeeds. I know who you are. But…questions remain. Why do you do the things you do?" Marvin asked Gust, his voice a soft whisper.

"Go to hell!" Gust snarled, pulling a knife free and hurling it at Marvin, embedding the knife in Marvin's throat. The man offered a smile in response before yanking the knife free with no effort and tossing it onto the ground. No blood leaked from the puncture wound on Marvin's neck, and even that was healing fast.

"Now, now…No need to be violent. I just wanted to ask you a question." Marvin whispered, drawing closer to the soldier as he feet left the ground. Marvin gently floated towards Gust and tilted his head slightly, as if puzzled.

"What would you do I said that I can bring him back?" Marvin asked, his voice practically a hiss.

"Who? Jamie?" Gust asked, taken aback. Where did this come from?

"Yes…Your little brother. The one you promised to look after, even if it took you down a path you wish you never had to take. The one person who means more to you than any other in this world…What would you give…to have him back?" Marvin Rapt asked, his smile widening horrifically. Gust felt shivers roll down his spine, but he considered the man's question. He considered why the leader of Sector 17 had such abilities, why he was so flippant with the lives of his personnel…And why it had revealed himself.

"Why…You aren't human. Why reveal yourself…monster?" Gust asked Mr. Rapt.

"I never intended too, truthfully. But getting shot in the head sort of forced my hand. I have already brainwashed the soldiers on this base to forget this ever happened." Marvin remarked, waving a hand to the side, where a squad of solider were kneeling on the ground.

"Besides…You are far more useful than any of these pawns. You were put in charge of these forces for a reason, Gust. So I will allow you to serve me of your own free will, because acting independently will allow you to function far more efficiently."

"Why should I help you at all?" Gust demanded.

"Aside from the fact that you're currently at my mercy? What should be incentive for you to willfully do my bidding, is knowledge that I can bring back your brother back to life…With a little help, of course." Mr. Rapt added with a small chuckle that echoed through the room.

"You can bring back…" Gust trailed off for a moment before shaking his head. "Wait, you said with a little help. What could you possibly need to do something like bring my brother back to life?"

"You see…I require the use of a very particular artifact. An artifact that has escaped my grasp for quite some time. That fool thought he was being clever, shuffling it from dimension to dimension, but he made a mistake, and now it's here…in this world. I want it. The Summoning Key…With its power, I can bring your brother back to life." Marvin said to the solider, whose mind was racing with a multitude of emotions. Grief, shock, horror, anger. All of them whirling around in his head. What should he do…What would his brother want him to do?

" _Do what he says for now…and stab the bastard in the back later."_ Gust thought, practically hearing his brother's voice.

"Very well…I'll do it. I'll find your Summoning Key." Gust relented, hating the words he spoke.

"Excellent. I will have other tasks I need you to complete down the road, but for now, allow that to be your first priority. My other agent is hard at work, ensuring the fools that just departed never finish their mission." Mr. Rapt remarked as Gust fell down to the ground, landing lightly on his feet.

"Other…agent?" Gust asked slowly.

"Yes…I have a loyal servant, amongst the group that just departed this facility. They will be instrumental in my plan. But for now…Focus on what you must do…" Mr. Rapt said softly as he began walking towards Gust, intending to pass by him. Marvin stopped right next to Gust, offering the soldier one final smile as he vanished into thin air with but a parting few words. Words that made Gust go cold, all the way down to his soul.

"Only through me… **The Shadowman…Will you find your redemption.** "

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Alrighty. So that's a wrap. Next chapter should be up much quicker, but I've said that again and again so what's the point in even saying that? The next update should be up alongside revisions for chapters 11-15 of DOTD, so stay tuned for more. Also, again, Skyrim story may possibly happen soon. Just a heads up for those interested. I'll likely be posting that either later on tonight or tomorow. Maybe._

 _I'll also be updating "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Guardians of Life and Destruction" sometime later today as well. Be on the lookout for it. And if you're interested in Pokemon and enjoy this story, please check it out!_

Q and A:

 **Hey man love this story but quick question are you going to include the origins crew Dr monty the apothicons and the keepers at all in your stories?**

Hmmm…based on the ending of this chapter, I'm going to say yes.

 **Will you ever use BO3 weapons?**

Absolutely. My original plan was to use whatever weapons I wanted the characters to use for the new maps I did, but stick to the old weapons for BO1 maps.

I then realized that making sure 8 characters use different weapons, swap them out occasionally, and not have it get repetitive is just annoying to do (especially when just choosing from BO1 weapons), so from here on out its free game for what they'll get. Black Ops 1-3 weapons (plus WaW) will be featured in all maps, along with anything else I decide to do, such as new Wonder Weapons or guns that were never introduced into zombies.

 _That's all for now. P_ _lease make sure to review, favorite, and follow and show your support._ _You all have a wonderful day, and I'll see you soon._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	11. I Believe

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _So Trump's our new President._

 _Seriously, this is a thing that actually happened._

 _If you want to know my stance on this, it goes as follows._

 _This country is in for a rough time. That said, I hope Trump manages to be a good President and doesn't plunge this country into eternal darkness. I hope he is a President that doesn't undo the good that President Obama has done, and allows this country to move forward and not backward._

 _But this isn't the place to go into this sort of this. This is a fanfic, so let's get this going._

 _As of this update, chapters 1-15 are completely revised and edited (once I upload those chapters tonight because as I update this, I'm leaving for work), save for chapters 6 and 13, because the "training chapters" are ridiculous and are going to need their own period of time for me to do. So I'll have those done once I tackle chapter 25 from DOTD and have them all done in their own period in between updates._

 _It hasn't been a really easy month for me writing-wise, since this is November and every single game I remotely wanted this year is coming out within the same 60 day span. I haven't even had time to beat Pokémon Sun yet. Though for my thoughts on the game so far, check out my next chapter of PMD GLD when it gets updated next week for actual semi-review of the game._

 _Also, on another sidenote, I officially have Revelations beaten, meaning that I have all of the Easter Eggs in Black Ops III have been completed. Mad props go to John, Joe, and CarriedCoin for their assistance. All in all, I can say Black Ops III has been my favorite game out of the series based on how much fun I had on the maps. And while the ending isn't what we all wanted, I can appreciate everything else about the game and can credit it for inspiring me to write this story._

 _Shoutout to the fantastic people who reviewed last chapter including RandomName3064, as well as a new reviewer, who reviewed twice (cheers!), that goes by the name of Gadget3210. Thanks for the support!_

 _Onto the chapter!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Chapter 11: I Believe_

* * *

" _We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort."-_ Jesse Owens.

* * *

"Dempsey! James!" Leah yelled out as the two men burst through the corpse-filled doorway, panting heavily. Leah ran over to the two men and offered them a grin before walking over to James and hugging him.

"Are you all alright?" James asked as Leah let go of him, allowing him to step into the motor-pool. He saw Takeo standing guard next to a running truck while Richtofen and Simon were in the back of said vehicle, looking over what supplies they had. Amy was sitting up front, ready to go at a moment's notice.

Dempsey took a moment to walk back over to the door to the motor-pool and noticed a shiny control pad next to the door, showing power levels in the room and that the door was currently set to open. Dempsey promptly kicked in the small control pad as hard as he could, breaking it and causing the door to come crashing down.

"Good thinking, Tank." Simon remarked as he tried to sit up, only to gasp and collapse back into the truck. James hurried over to his friend and saw Richtofen lying next to him, passed out.

"Simon and Richtofen got pretty roughed up. Takeo, me, and Amy are fine. How about you two, what happened?" Leah asked James as she walked the two men over to the truck. James gave Leah a quick rundown of what had happened, promising to go into the events further once they were out of the facility. She was curious about the strange woman who had saved her friend and the weird jester that he had encountered.

"So, where's Nikolai?" Leah asked as she hopped into the truck, snatching up a C275.

"No idea. We have to bail before Gust and his men could catch up. Shit hit the fan and things are looking worse every second, even if we apparently have backup we never knew about." Dempsey replied as he made his way over to the vehicle.

"We can't leave Nikolai behind though!" Amy chimed in as she leaned out of the driver's seat.

"Amy, in order to get to him we'd have to backtrack to where we just came from. And there's way too many soldiers with much better firepower than us. It's just not possible to get him!" James said exasperatedly to Amy, frustrated at the situation.

"Yeah, it's not looking good. I'm all for making sure no one gets left behind, but if Gust and his men catch up to us we're as good as dead." Dempsey growled, annoyed at the situation himself.

"So what then? We just leave and hope Nikolai somehow escapes by himself!?" Leah demanded of the two men. Dempsey opened his mouth to reply when a familiar voice suddenly cut him off.

"Hey! Would you cut down on the chit chat? Some people are trying to sleep!" Everyone in the group blinked in surprise before Dempsey, Takeo, and Leah all ran over to one of the other vehicles in the motor pool and found an unlikely someone slouched over in the driver's seat, carrying a bottle of vodka in his grasp and squinting at them all.

"Seriously, Nikolai has massive headache. Could you perhaps lower the volume?" the Russian soldier asked with a wince, holding his ribs. He looked pretty rough, with dried blood caking his lips and sporting a massive black eye, but he seemed to be alright.

"Nikolai? How the hell did you escape? Or get past the soldiers? Or get here without any of us noticing?" Leah asked, utterly bewildered but smiling at the Russian nevertheless.

"Hehehe…Nikolai seduce female guard with his smooth tongue. They do not call me "Sexy Russian Nikolai" for nothing," the Soviet replied with a perverted grin.

"You…seduced the guard? Weren't you tortured?" Dempsey asked, eyeing the various bruises and half-healed slashes on his body. Nikolai chuckled at that, his face contorting into a grimace as he did so.

"Ahh…Do not make me laugh. Anna cracked three ribs before Nikolai was able to make her see sense. Do not think me as complete idiot, comrades. Nikolai is smarter than you think. She is helping distract guards so that we can make daring escape. She tell me of code to open big door as well." The Russian remarked with a smug grin, but he said it in a way that made Leah and Dempsey realize that he was being completely serious. The Russian had managed to negotiate his way out of a prison cell, as well as gaining a new ally who could assist them in their escape. Despite it being fairly crude, it was pretty damn impressive.

"Nikolai needed a few minutes to rest though, as he does not feel so good." Nikolai added after a moment, grimacing and holding his chest.

"Once we get out of here, we can get everyone's injuries treated. Just keep hanging in there," Leah said to the Russian, who replied with a simple nod.

"You look like crap, so I believe you…You smell like it too." Dempsey remarked with a snicker as Nikolai sniffed himself and shuddered.

"Perhaps Nikolai requires a bath. And more vodka. But perhaps we should escape first, no?" Nikolai said as he hopped out of the vehicle he was hiding in and stumbled towards a console on the other side of the room.

"Make sure everyone's ready to go, you two. I'll make sure Nikolai doesn't make the computer explode." Leah remarked lightly, feeling a bit hopeful. Maybe they could really make it out of here alive. Continue their quest and stop Samantha. And then after that…return home.

Dempsey and Takeo hurried over to the vehicle and double-checked everything in order to make sure they were ready to go. Nikolai limped over to the console on the other side of the room, Leah close behind. However, just as they crossed the halfway point between their car and the console, they received a few unwelcome guests in the form of a squad of Sector 17 soldiers.

Dempsey was the first to notice and was quick to order everyone to take cover while the soldiers opened fire on them. Leah and Nikolai sprinted across the room, catching the duo as they tried to flee.

"Get down!" Leah barked, grabbing the Soviet's shoulder and yanking him down behind a crate as the soldiers opened fire. Nikolai grunted in pain from having to move so quickly and leaned against the metal crate, closing his eyes and taking slow breaths.

"Someone wanna take those chucklefucks out!?" Simon yelled, earning a barrage of gunfire in his general direction.

"Kill them all!" shouted the lead soldier, as the soldiers slowly began to advance further into the room.

"Shit…this isn't good. We can't keep fighting like this!" Leah muttered, preparing herself to open fire.

"No. Wait a moment."

Leah looked at Nikolai in surprise as he opened his eyes, which now seemed a bit more aware and focused. The Russian dug into his pant's pocket and pulled out a small round ball with flowing red veins running through it.

"I would get down, little lady. Things are, how do you Americans say it…heat up?" Nikolai remarked with a small smirk as he popped out of cover, catching the attention of the soldiers, but not before he chucked the small ball at the soldiers and ducked behind the crate once again. The ball clattered on the ground next to the soldiers, who balked and began running away, but not quickly enough to avoid being hit with a horrific burst of bright red flames that erupted from what Leah realized was a kind of grenade. The group of zombie-slayers watched the flames with horror, even as they watched incinerated several soldiers burn to ashes before their very eyes.

"What the hell was that?!" Simon demanded as he sat up, clutching his stomach.

"Inferno Grenade. Like Incendiary Grenade, but with much more firepower." Nikolai chuckled, amused at his own joke. "I managed to find a few on the soldiers I killed while trying to find this place. Not too bad for a drunk Soviet, da?"

"Nice work, big guy. Now get that door open so we can bail." Leah said to the soldier, who nodded in reply and slowly made his way to the console on the other side of the room. Nikolai punched in a quick number sequence, though he seemed to have trouble reading the numbers and had to make sure with Leah that the combination he put in was what he read it off as. As the door to the outside shuddered open and Leah and Nikolai were hurriedly making their way back to the vehicle, more soldiers burst onto the scene, opening fire on them as they leapt into the back of the transport.

"Amy, let's bail!" Simon barked. The Englishwoman made the car shoot backwards, knocking down several of the soldiers who had gotten too close to the vehicle.

"I'd make a joke about women not being able to drive, but I don't think that's wise with Leah sitting right next to me!" Simon yelled out, earning a glare from the woman in question. The car then shot forward, since Dempsey had apparently seen fit to swap place with Amy and commandeer the truck so that he could drive, and sped out of the motorpool. More soldiers opened fire on them as the transport peeled out of the facility.

"Brace yourselves!" Dempsey yelled as the barrelled towards the fenced in side of the facility. The vehicle smashed through fence with ease, allowing the group of zombie-slayers to leave their captors behind as the drove through the forest. Of course, they ran into the issue of trying to drive their way through the trees, but that problem was resolved when they stumbled onto the road again.

The drive through the forest continued well into the night, with Leah and Takeo eventually taking their turn to guide the truck to hopefully safer territory. They stopped only for the others to relieve themselves and to get fresh water when it was nearby, but aside from that, they continued driving eastwards towards the snowy Motherland…

* * *

Sector 17 European Headquarters

* * *

Eris had not been idle in the time that she had seen off her new…allies.

Slinking through the shadows, with Yena whispering in her ears, she eavesdropped as much as possible, trying to gather a complete picture of what was going on. Despite her relative unfamiliarity with fighting, spying, and killing…She was quickly picking up on these things. The fact that her teacher and Master was within her mind, guiding her, made things much easier.

And she was quickly finding out that things were not as they seemed.

Yena had explained things to her, going into the gritty details of how this mess had come to be. How Richtofen had come to power, and the tragedy that had forced Richtofen's hand in wanting to destroy the world back in the present. Yena told Eris the story of the zombie slayers and their crusade against Samantha, and of what had happened since then. Of the children Samantha had befriended and guided through the dangers in their way…But…

But this was something new.

Apparently, this was one of many, many timelines. A world running parallel to a nigh infinite amount of others, fractionally different and special at the same time. Once Yena had explained this concept to Eris, she learned that with the powers that he had transferred to her, she could travel in between these worlds through the shadows that connected them all. Space and time were nothing before her, as she slipped in between the cracks of reality's shadows and reappeared in another world in another time in another universe.

Yena had explored quite a bit, before he had been imprisoned by Group 935 for being too much of a wild card. He had experimented with his powers and had spent many many years in other timelines and worlds (but losing mere seconds in his own time), and as a result had figured out how things worked. How Element 115 played into messing things up and how a specific sequence of events tended to happen and result in the same thing happening, more or less.

However…out of all of the timelines and all of the worlds…Not a single one of them were like this one. This world and timeline…his very own, was the one timeline he was too afraid of finding out more about. He just couldn't take the plunge to find out how the world turned out…

But he did know one thing for sure.

Sector 17 was something new. An anomaly that he had never encountered before.

And it made Yena wary. Which made Eris wary

 _ **"I wonder if Edward ever knew about this organization."**_ Yena murmured as Eris slipped out of another shadow and stepped into a room filled with computer terminals. The shadowy young woman looked over the machines with an appraising eye before she slowly made her way over to them.

 _"So much for state of the art tech. The software on this is ancient."_ Eris thought as she sat down at one of the computers.

 _ **"So, little one, what are you trying to do now?**_ " Yena asked her.

"Well, some of these computers are bound to have some information on these people. Sector 17 doesn't exist in our time, does it? And you seem completely in the dark, literally, on what to do about them. So…Why not take a peek through their systems and see what's up?" Eris asked Yena.

 ** _"Tread lightly. There is something here…that is off. Something that should not be."_ ** Yena hissed as Eris began going through the computer, using the mouse to click through several windows. Eris remained silent for a time, with Yena making quiet remarks here and there and using her eyes to take in as much information on this new organization as they could. Eris and Yena quickly learned the origins of the group, and how they were founded in the shadow of Group 935 and funded heavily by the Russians. Their leader was a kind and enigmatic man named Marvin Rapt, who Yena had never heard of.

Sector 17 had a large private army at their disposal, along with several testing facilities and bases throughout the world. On top of their funding from Russian, they were able to generate income due to clever investments in stocks and with the backing by several private corporations hoping to capitalize on the technology they were developing. They easily recruited personnel from all walks of life, thanks to a surprisingly well crafted healthcare plan with dental _and_ paid vacation days.

Yet, despite the group essentially being a more funded and more militant version of Group 935…They still wanted more.

Eris quickly scrolled through a series of images, all of them faded to the point where she could barely make them out, but she eventually came across a picture of a small sphere decorated in arcane symbols. The very sight of which hurt her eyes, making her look elsewhere. Yena simply hummed in response, which made Eris curious.

 _ **"I don't know why, but that sphere looks familiar. Does this file say what it is?"**_ Yena asked Eris.

"Can you not read it yourself?"

 ** _"Using your eyes is something I can only do in short bursts, little one. I am only a figment, a fragment of who I was before…It's beyond me, at the moment, to push myself beyond my limits or I may fade away completely. The only part of me that exists anymore is the part that I put inside you."_** Yena answered quietly, his presence fading away.

"Hey, you didn't make a sex joke that time!" Eris pointed out cheerfully.

 ** _"I could always smack your ass from the shadows. I know you like that kind of thing,"_ ** Yena said with a snicker as Eris blushed furiously. Having someone inside of her mind seemed like such a good thing a few minutes ago…so much for that.

"God, you're such a pervert!"

 ** _"As if. It's not like I can get aroused at the moment anyway. I don't even understand how I'm even like this. Seriously, this shit doesn't make a lick of sense."_ ** Yena complained as Eris widened the image of the strange orb on the screen. She put a hand on her head, feeling a headache coming on, but she felt Yena's presence within her make the pain go away.

"Thank you…" Eris said quietly, examining the strange markings on the sphere. She grabbed a nearby piece of paper and a pen and quickly began sketching out the symbols that adorned the sphere, taking her time to just get them correctly.

 _ **"Good call."**_ Yena remarked as Eris folded the paper and put it into her coat pocket.

"The file says that this objected is known as the Summoning Key. But that's all the information on the subject. Just the name of it and the fact that it's Sector 17's first priority to find it." Eris said to Yena, who hummed in response.

 ** _"It must be something quite powerful. But what would they want with it? To what end are they trying to achieve by chasing this artifact…We need more information."_** Yena muttered. Eris opened her mouth to reply when the door to the room suddenly opened and the light turned on, blinding Eris for a moment and making her flinch harshly. Her eyes adjusted to the brightness and within seconds, she took in th sight before her. It was an old man, dressed in a suit adorned with strange symbols. Behind him was the soldier who had been attacking James and Dempsey. Gust, she believed his name was.

"Well hello there." Marvin Apt smiled, his teeth sharp and needle-like as his grin slowly grew wider and wider. Eris fell back out of the chair and stumbled to her feet, feeling horror shoot through her at the sight of the mind. Yena even recoiled mentally at the sight of the man, who seemed to radiate an aura of inherent wrongness.

"How on earth did you get here, my dear? And…so far out of your time, as well." Mister Apt said quietly, stepping into the room with Gust close behind, grip tight on his pistol.

"That's the one who was fighting with that jester. I saw it on one of the cameras before she slipped away." Gust said quietly, raising his weapon and keeping it trained on Eris.

 ** _"Slip directly into your shadow. Leave this time behind. I will guide you…"_** Yena growled, fear entering his voice for the first time ever. Eris felt abject horror grip her for the first time since the monster from the forest had captured her. Harvey Yena was never scared of anything.

"I sense something very dark within you, little girl. Something not quite like me, but with quite evil intentions." Apt purred slowly walking towards her. Eris grabbed a nearby flower pot and hurled it at the man, but the pot disintegrated into nothingness as the man's eyes flashed, but it was enough time for Eris to drop into the floor, vanishing into her own shadow and slipping away from both.

The Shadowman's smiled curled inward as he glanced over at Gust, who had walked ahead of him and was kneeling on the floor, inspecting the spot where the woman had vanished.

"Gust…Go through our security footage and see if you can spot our little rat sneaking around. I want to know how much she knows." The Shadowman said to the soldier, who nodded in reply before getting to his feet and exiting the room. The Apothicon Harbinger glanced over at the nearest monitor and saw the image of the Summoning Key on the screen, causing his smile to vanish.

"No matter…Soon enough it will be mine. She is no throat to me…" the monster murmured, waving a hand and shutting down the monitor before brushing out of the room, making the lights flicker as he departed.

* * *

Darkness all around her. Suffocating at first, but comforting as time wore on.

Eris swam through the darkness, using her mind and the sensations around her to guide her way to safety. She then held out a hand and a small rift appeared, allowing her to exit the shadowy world. She stumbled out of the portal and pressed herself against a brick wall. She appeared to be in an alleyway now, with falling snow coating the ground as the moon gleamed overhead, illuminating the city around her. She was back in New York. Back in her time.

"Master Yena?" Eris whispered, coldness seeping into her. Her only response was her shadow reaching up and enveloping her, cutting off the coldness. Eris sighed as the shadows held her, though within moments they faded away, her energy vanishing with them.

" _ **I…What was that?"**_ Yena whispered, sounding absolutely confused.

"I don't know. You've never seen anything like that…ever?" Eris asked Yena. The former Group 935 scientist remained silent at that, but his silence was more than enough of a response for Eris. She willed began walking into the streets, where she blended in seamlessly into the crowd. The people all around her were battered and rugged, looking as if they had just been in the biggest fight of their lives. Most of them had, though. She recalled the fight against the ice zombie, and how the children had bravely fought against it. She remembered how Yena had joined the fray, and helped subdue the monster using the power of darkness that clung to his very soul. Eris recalled the fight her master had been in. The one against the children who were supposed to save this world. With that burning child and Samantha guiding them, she felt like that maybe they could accomplish their goal.

" _ **Unlikely…"**_ Yena hissed, sensing Eris's thoughts on the matter

"What makes you think that, Master?"

" _ **Because I remember what we lost. I remember becoming a twisted abomination that despised everything…Do you want to know why I want to destroy this world, little one?"**_ Yena asked Eris.

"…Yes. Tell me."

" _ **Because this world is broken. So, so broken. The evil reign supreme while the good lie in the dirt. I've seen it all throughout my life, even before hell broke loose after the Group 935 coup. I hated this world long before Edward did…When I became a monster, I wanted nothing more than to smother it in darkness. Snuff out everyone's lives and end it all, because this world deserves to die. With all of the horror that happens every single day, humanity deserves to be wiped out…And now Richtofen will be doing exactly what I could have wanted him to do, in the present. Right now."**_ Yena explained, an odd hint of something in his voice. Eris couldn't tell what it was, but Yena continued speaking.

" _ **Those children…The ones traveling with Samantha and Sieger on that train, will find nothing but an early grave. Little One…Wouldn't you want the same thing? To just end it all…No more pain for the innocent? No more suffering for the weak? And a just end to those who corrupted this world in the first place?"**_ Yena asked Eris, only to get a shake of the head in reply.

"Of course there's bad…There's a lot of bad. But there's good too…So much good, Master. I can't believe that destroyed everything is the only way. Maybe it's me being naïve…But part of me, deep down, knows that there's a happy ending in all of this. I just know it!" Eris said with a smile as she leaned against a lamp post, watching a few children walk by. One of them, holding a staff of sorts in his hand, waved to Eris, who cheerily waved back.

" _ **You are far too chipper…"**_

"Someone has to be. Maybe you're just being a downer. How do you know those kids and Samantha can't stop Richtofen?" Eris asked Yena softly, speeding up her pace down the street, eyeing the massive columns of ice in the road with unease.

" _ **Richtofen is too far gone…He's too powerful. Too full of hatred…He's too absorbed in what he's lost. I think, even now, all of us are…Even me."**_ Yena whispered, his presence slowly slipping away from Eris. After a few seconds, Yena was nothing more than a faint presence in the back of the young woman's mind. She sighed and zipped up her coat, feeling the chill of the night upon her. She'd have to spend a bit of time here to recover before jumping back into the past.

Because something was very wrong. That much was certain. Sector 17 was up to something, something that was twisted enough to warrant investigation. And Yena had mentioned that it could even do something to the other worlds…did he mean the other universes and timelines? Were they too, in danger of Sector 17 and their search for the Summoning Key.

Eris's smile widened as a shiver rolled down her spine. Despite the chill and despite the fear of what awaited her back in the past, she wanted to return there and confront it. She had power now. She had an ally in the form of the man who had saved her from a monster. No more was she helpless, unable to protect herself.

"I'm strong now…And I'll get even stronger. Someday I'll be even stronger than you, Master Yena…And maybe then, I can help you regain your sense of hope. Until then…My hope for a better tomorrow will be strong enough for the both of us.!" Eris whispered with a grin on her face, gazing skyward at the shimmering overhead, shining down in approval of the shadowy maiden returning home.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Alright, so I'm gonna address one quick thing that may have caught people off guards this chapter, and that's how I made Nikolai a bit of badass in this chapter._

 _See, there's a reason for that. These characters may have had their minds addled with due to their exposure to Element 115, but at their core they are still intelligent and very capable soldiers. So my reasoning was that despite his mind being messed with the most, in my opinion, Nikolai is still capable of manipulating others and outmaneuvering enemies when he has too. Look to Gorod Krovi to see that just because he's a drunk Russian, doesn't mean he can't get things done when he wants to._

 _So I hope that reasoning works for you all. Onto the Q and A!_

Q and A:

 **y no W W weapons though?**

 **the idea of 115 and the mystery box was that it can pull guns from ALL dimensions and time periods. why not have the WaW weapons too? :(**

That was a mistake on my part, and I fixed that flub because I am a twat. All weapons from Zombies will be up for grabs in the Mystery Box, regardless of the map or location. I may even throw in a few weapons that weren't in zombies as well, just because I can.

 _That's all for now. With the next update, I'll have chapters 16-20 up as well as get the next chapter up, hopefully before the halfway point of next month. After that, I'll do chapters 20-25, and then be focusing on the four training chapters I haven't look over yet._

 _And then I'll officially be halfway done with the hard edits for DOTD. Meaning the rest of the story will be revised even quicker._

 _So that's all for now, folks. Be sure to favorite, follow, and review and show your support._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	12. Along the Snowy Trail

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _Merry Christmas everyone!_

 _I bring you a new update! And also a new story on my profile page of this site!_

 _Essentially, it's a novelization of Pokémon Sun, with own twists and such. It's going to be a fun project and I can tell you now it will be a very interesting project to undertake. You can find out more by just checking out the story "Pokémon Radiant Sun" on my profile. If you do check it out, be sure to favorite/follow/review if you enjoyed it._

 _Also, more revisions to DOTD are on the way. As of now, I only managed to get chapter 16 revised because I've been super busy this holiday season, but I'm hoping to get the first 20 chapters done before the end of the year, and have every chapter in the entire story done by the end of February. If you're interested in more rambling, then check out my updated Winter Author's note on DOTD._

 _Now onto this story._

 _Shoutout to Gadget3210, who reviewed last chapter, and did bring up something interesting that I want to point out to you all._

 _DOTD, as good as it was and as proud as I am of the story, did have many faults. I learned a lot through writing it, but as a result made a lot of mistakes early on. I'm trying to improve on some of the mistakes, such as characterization and development of character in general, in this story. So in some places there won't be much action, but rather moments where characters grow and develop and get fleshed out._

 _Anyway, I just wanted to throw that out there. Here's a new chapter!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Chapter 12: Along the Snowy Trail_

* * *

" _Stories you read when you're the right age never quite leave you. You may forget who wrote them or what the story was called. Sometimes you'll forget precisely what happened, but if a story touches you it will stay with you, haunting the places in your mind that you rarely ever visit."_ _-_ Neil Gaiman _,_ _M Is for Magic_ _._

* * *

"Gah. Waiting sucks!" Dempsey growled, kicking the truck with an annoyed sigh.

"You must have patience, Dempsey." Takeo said quietly in reply, leaning against the vehicle and opening an eye as the marine turned towards him.

"Tak, with those Sector 17 guys after us, I really don't like the idea of stopping anywhere until we're in the clear. Call it being paranoid or whatever, but the shit that went down back there are things I want no part of…We've got enough weird crap going on as is." Dempsey replied shortly, crossing his arms.

"After hearing your stories, I'm inclined to agree with Tank." Simon replied from inside of the truck, where Amy was giving him a back massage.

"At least we're on the road again. I'm just hoping we can get some info out of Richtofen. He told Leah a bit about our next stop, but it's still pretty vague." Amy chimed in, pressing into Simon's back and eliciting a sigh from the sailor.

"Hmm…He'll tell us more in time. Leah's trying to get something out of him, and she'll tell us whatever she finds out. Richtofen gives me bad vibes, and knows a lot more than he says he does. And that's even if what he tells us is the truth at all." Simon replied as he opened his eyes, shivering slightly before closing them once more.

"Maybe once the two of them get back we'll get some info. I hate being in the dark." Dempsey growled, putting a hand on his Lamentation for a moment and gripping the gun tightly.

"Relax."

Dempsey sighed and released the gun, flopping against the vehicle at the gentle suggestion from Takeo, much to the amusement of the swordsman, who chuckled at the display.

The group was parked just outside of a tow on the border of Russia, having made slow progress through Europe due to city blockades and the like. Apparently the Sector 17 HQ was located on the western Polish border, and the group was far enough away from the PMC to allow themselves to collectively sigh with some relief, though they still remained cautious. Just two days later, they were now stopped on the outskirts of a small Polish town that seemed lively enough. They were hoping to sell some of their excess supplies for other things that they needed, such as cold weather gear for the trek up north and fresh provisions (not everything had escaped the initial crash unscathed.)

Simon and Richtofen were still on the mend, despite the latter man having gone into the town himself with Leah to ensure nothing went wrong. Dempsey and Takeo had taken to guarding the vehicle while the others rested, but for now all was calm.

"So Nikolai…I know it's been like twenty years or something, but do you have any rough idea of where we're going?" Dempsey asked the Russian. A loud snore was his reply, earning a shake of the head from the marine.

"Not sure why you expected anything different." Simon remarked as he laid down on the floor of truck. Amy stretched and laid down next to him, resting her head on his chest much to his delight. The sailor stroked the blonde woman's head, causing her to sigh happily in response.

"Just hate flying through the dark. There's so much we don't know. Richtofen's got us by the balls and we've got to just follow along if we want any shot of fixing this mess." Dempsey growled, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"All we can do is wait, and see how this goes. We'll try and get a real game plan going once the two of them get back here with the supplies. And some food, hopefully." James chimed in from the shotgun seat of the vehicle. The others mutely nodded in reply…food sounded nice.

* * *

Things were quite chaotic in the world, from Leah could gather, as she walked with Richtofen. It took a bit of doing, but the pair of them managed to find out the state of things. According to what Leah knew, the current state of the world was a few notches worse than what she remembered of Cold War-era history. The US and the USSR were at each other's throats and the world was experiencing times of strength and weakness just like back then. The Vietnam War was still raging about and things were very complicated politically.

The zombies were simply extra kindling to the flames, as a very angry little girl unleashed her rage on a world that she despised. Samantha had killed a massive chunk of the population and entire cities were deserted at this point. So it was likely that because of the zombies being the biggest threat around, they could move about with some transparency. Leah knew that things were a lot more complex than what she could figure from just hearsay, however, and planned on seeking out more information as they traveled.

The CIA Agent hefted her bag over her shoulder, laden with several thick winter coats and gloves and the like. Richtofen had somehow acquired a great deal of spending money for them, which allowed them to get some gear for their next destination. When asked where he got the money, Richtofen brushed her off and told her to be thankful.

Leah simply filed that bit of info away and decided to indeed be grateful that they wouldn't be going into the freezing cold Russian forests in just normal clothes. The woman threw her hood back and relished in the warm outfit as she dug into her other bag, where they had stored a good deal of their foods and non-perishables.

 _"I wish I could get a reading on this guy. He can't be that bad…even though I know he's a psychotic Nazi who has admitted to being a murderer…"_ Leah thought with a shudder. Despite this, Leah knew she'd have to make sure that the group would be able to coexist together. It seemed like everyone hated someone else, and in the state things were right now, that just couldn't happen.

Leah decided that the best way forward would be to just keep doing her thing. Be patient with Nikolai, playfully banter with Dempsey, earn Richtofen's trust…and try not to be too awkward around Takeo. Leah shook her head for a moment, snapping herself out of her musing as she found what she was looking for in her bag, and pulled out a bright red apple.

"Apple?" Leah asked Richtofen, offering the fruit to the man. The Nazi raised an eyebrow in surprise, but accepted the fruit and sank his teeth into it. Fresh fruit was something he had not been able to taste in quite some time, so despite being wary of Leah's intentions, he savored the taste.

"Seeing the world like this is…just scary." Leah said rather lamely, sighing as she hunched her shoulders.

"It is what happens when you underestimate your adversaries. I will not do so again." Richtofen replied after swallowing a chunk of fruit.

"Who did you underestimate?" Leah asked.

"Do not pry." Richtofen replied, taking another bite of apple.

"You know, I've been pretty forthcoming with info and I'm trying make the others cut you some slack." Leah said to the Nazi, a bit of steel coming to her voice that made the man's eyes widen. "You've gone through some serious shit, so I'm trying to lay off. But trust works both ways, Doctor."

Richtofen took that moment to look at the woman, who had stopped behind him and was staring him down, arms crossed with fire in her gaze. This was not a person to be trifled with, he realized. While the other female in their group was a wild card, this one was not. This was someone who, if things came to blows, could probably hold her own against him and even put him down. And unlike the others…Her mind was not addled with Element 115 and she was quite intelligent. James and Simon fell into that boat as well.

These fools were threats to him. Not comrades. Not allies. Not friends. And they needed to be dealt with…but for now they were useful fools. So he had to continue his charade and provide just enough information to get by.

"I suppose it does. But the problem is not that I do not trust you. It is that I am the only one who must know these things. I alone must bear this burden. Time and space have been meddled with enough. Should the problems escalate further, I imagine the damage may truly be irreversible. So until then, you all will know what is necessary." Richtofen replied shortly, turning away from Leah and beginning to walk once more. Leah joined him a few moment later.

"I find that hard to believe. There's nothing _that_ powerful." Leah remarked, earning a look from Richtofen.

"Element 115 can bend the very fabric of reality itself. It can summon time and place it within your hands. Call life back from those who have fallen. The question isn't what can Element 115 do…it's what can it not accomplish?" Richtofen said very seriously, genuinely wondering that himself.

"Then why try and harness it, if it's so dangerous? It seems like you're playing with fire, here. Who even knows what kind of side effects this stuff has?" Leah asked.

 _"If only you knew, little girl."_ Richtofen thought with an inward smile, though he simply said, "With science, you must be ready and willing to take risks. We were tasked with creating a better future for mankind. Element 115, if harnessed correctly, could achieve that goal. But first…we must correct the matter at hand."

"I still don't understand how any of this plays into the world of the future…I mean, it's hard to tell whether or not that this is the past of the world we came from OR NOT, but if it is…Then why has anyone not heard of any of this? Zombies and super-weapons and all sorts of craziness. It doesn't make any sense." Leah muttered, though she was surprised when Richtofen sighed in reply.

"I do not know. You four are an anomaly. You are not supposed to be here. At all. But one way or another, I suppose we'll sort out your mystery. In the meantime…You are here to stay, so you may as well help us save this world, hmm?" Richtofen remarked almost lightly, his tone somewhat bitter, however. Leah simply shook her head and continued walking in silence as the two made their way back to the truck on the outskirts of town. The silence between the two was thick, and remained so until they arrived outside of the town and returned to their comrades.

"Good. Any trouble?" James asked Leah.

"Nope. We managed to get everything we needed and more. Richtofen refuses to tell me where he got the money to pay for all of us, though." Leah said with a pointed look to the German.

"As I said before, be grateful I was able to get ahold of this money. It was not an easy feat, I assure you." Richtofen said to the others, which wasn't technically a lie. Having Illuzio teleport this money to him was quite a difficult feat for the magician to do in a way that didn't give him away.

"Whatever. Let's just sort out some kind of plan for the next few days, alright?" Dempsey said to the others. Richtofen nodded and limped over to the back of the truck, pulled out several files from his bag, and sat down in the back of the truck. The others followed, with Leah and Simon sitting on the floor while the others stood above them.

"Alright, based on some of the documents we stole from the Sector 17 compound, Richtofen and I have figured out our best shot at getting to a Teleporter. According to these papers, there was a huge amount of top-secret military work being done at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, deep within the USSR. There was definitely some work done there on Element 115, regarding Project Thunder and Project Mercury. The codename for the Thundergun and something called a Gersch Device respectively. Sector 17 is apparently connected to them as well, providing security to the location themselves, though not much. Certainly not enough to give us trouble, based on our last experience with their forces. Richtofen managed to secure a schematic and map for the site itself, and has an idea of what our next move should be." Leah said to the others, spreading out the papers and looking over at Richtofen.

"We need to seek out a man named Gersch within the facility. He's noted on the documents here as someone who worked heavily with Element 115, and is our best bet according to these files. We should expect resistance from the Sector 17 forces, and should be prepared to face the undead at the facility as well. Samantha has been oddly quiet lately, and I would not put it above her to be waiting until we were deep within the compound to attack." Richtofen explained with a slight growl.

"So we're going back to the Motherland for sure, then?" Nikolai asked with a tilted head.

"Sounds like it, big guy. You get to go home!" Amy chirped.

"Unlikely. Home…I have no home now. Simply memories, nothing more." Nikolai said in a surprisingly bitter tone, drawing glances from everyone. Even Richtofen seemed stunned at the level of sorrow poured into the simple words.

"Right…" Dempsey muttered, drawing to break the strange silence. "Well, if we're going balls deep into enemy territory, I say we up the watches. Three people no matter what if we're stopped, with four awake at all times while we're moving."

"This truck should be able to handle the weather, right? I'm going to assume that there'll be snow, since we're going into the USSR." Simon asked Dempsey, who nodded.

"Like I said before, I'm a bit rusty when it comes to cars, but this thing should be able to take on all kinds of weather. After you got rid of the tracker, I took another look inside of it. It's good to go." Dempsey said with a nod. The vehicle that the group was now riding around in was indeed state-of-the-art, and was equipped with a tracker that Sector 17 could trace in order to find their location. James found it after about an hour after they had left and destroyed it, meaning that they were now officially free of Sector 17 for now. But they would have to be on the lookout for the group in the future.

"Good. Sector 17 will most certainly be searching for us and a way to control the undead. If they learn of Samantha and the power that she holds, it could spell doom for us all. We must reach her first and stop her." Richtofen said to the others, earning a few nods.

"Then let us venture forward once more." Takeo said quietly, nodding to them all. The group then began gearing up, splitting up the gear amongst everyone else so that they were all equipped to go further into the cold north that awaited them. Richtofen and James took driver and shotgun while the others piled into the back, though Dempsey and Takeo remained watchful as always with their weapons always within arm's reach...

* * *

"Gotta love just rolling through the countryside with my crew." Simon remarked idly after a few hours of comfortable silence within the group. Everyone looked at Simon as he shut his eyes, with everyone looking at him like he was an idiot. Ironically, the car slowed to a halt then, making everyone else in the car laugh in response as Simon smiled sheepishly.

The group was pulled off to the side of the road, where they quickly started a fire and began preparing for supper. Leah and James combined some of their old and new provisions together and made plenty of food for everyone to dig into. Dempsey suggested that they hunt some of the local animals so that they don't burn through supplies, and it was decided that they would do that later on if need be. The group then continued their drive into the night, sticking to the roads and carefully making their way eastward.

This continued for nearly a week or so, with the weather getting progressively colder as the group slowly angled its way northeast. Within that time period, the group began getting to know each other better. Their previous experiences helped forge a bond from battle, but the chance to rest and recuperate allowed them all to learn more about their new companions, and even the world of the future that they never tired of hearing about. The technology, the history, and even things about their lives seemed fascinating to the older soldiers, who secretly yearned for a world where they didn't have to fight any longer.

Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and even Richtofen shared stories that they could remember. Admittedly some of the stories were a bit patchy, due to the fact they couldn't remember good chunks of them, but they still made for engaging tales that killed the time well enough.

On day eight of their trek, as the night began to fall, Simon asked Nikolai if there were any interesting Russian folk tales that he remembered. It was only natural for Simon to wonder that, since they had just entered the country and were making headway towards their destination.

"Ahh…I have a few stories. There's the story about "The Fisherman and the Fish. That one was told to me many times by my father. My sister's favorite was the story of Sadko. There are many Russian fairy tales I could tell you about." Nikolai explained as he leaned forward, smiling at them.

"Any good horror stories?" Simon asked the Russian. Nikolai thought about this for a few moments before nodding slowly, and then paling slightly.

"Da. There are a few. Belyy Volt Smerti…" Nikolai said quietly, visibly shuddering with discomfort for several moment before shaking his head slightly.

"You OK big guy?" Amy asked the Soviet.

"Yes…There is one fairy tale in particular that scared me quite a bit as a child. Mainly because there is some truth to this one's existence. It always made me nervous, and stills does, despite it all." Nikolai seemed strangely coherent as his face became a bit more serious. The Russian took another fortifying swig of alcohol and shuddered again.

"The legend of Ninochka, the Lonely Snow Wolf…or, as I know it, the White Wolf of Death." Nikolai said quietly to the trio before him. The Russian seemed to sober up quite a bit, his eyes drifting to the snowy trees around him as he began his tale.

"Many moons ago, when Mother Russia was still young, man walked through the snowy land of Russia alongside their companions, the watchful hounds of the forest."

"These were not your everyday dogs. No, these were wolves! Sons and daughters of the forest, who befriended the humans of Russia and guided them through the lands. They helped them hunt their food, protected them from the mighty bears lurking within the snow, and were faithful companions in general. In time, our people came to revere the beasts as not only protectors, but friends and equals."

"However, there was one wolf who refused to aid our kind. She was known as Ninochka, the Alone Wolf. She was massive for her kind, with eyes the color of blood and massive white fangs, quite unusual for a simple wolf. She fled at the sight of man, and whenever she was confronted by humans, slew them for amusement. Ninochka quickly gained a very nasty reputation, as a monster."

"Ninochka, for the most part, cared little for the affairs of man and her fellow wolves. She simply lived to hunt her prey, and enjoyed her solitude within the young icy lands…"

"Years went by, after the pact between man and wolf had been forged. Some wolves lost their fierceness, devolving into simple pets and becoming soft. Some remained in their forests, wild yet still allies of the men and women who shared their snowy world with them…Ninochka remained alone in her hunts, but had begun to feel the pain of isolation. She had found that, in her older age, she yearned for companionship of some kind, but could not relate to her brothers and sisters any longer. She was too wild. Too powerful. She was shunned by them, simply because she had turned away from them before."

"One day, however, she stumbled upon an old hunter within the snowy banks that she had been resting in. A hardy soul that braved the forests alone, armed with the furs of the beasts he himself had slain. Ninochka prepared herself to attack the man, but found that she was beaten to the punch. A mighty bear of the forest, standing at eleven feet high, came out to challenge the hunter. The wolf watched, amazed as the old hunter bellowed at the beast before him and confronted it, killing it with a single blow from his blade as he dodged a swipe from the monster before him."

"As the bear crumpled to ground, however…the man turned to Ninochka."

"'How?'" Ninochka asked the man, who was surprised he had found one of the elder wolves. The ones who knew the tongue of man and were quicker of wit than most things around then."

"'I do not know. It may because my desire to live was greater than his. We fought. I won. Do you wish to join him, daughter of the snow?' the man asked the wolf, shouldering his blade."

"'No…Who and what are you?'"

"'My name is Orik. I am a man. An old man who has outlived his usefulness and wanders these lands alone. What about you…Do you have a name?' the man asked Ninochka."

"'None that I answer to by your kind. I am a monster. A daughter of the old ways, before we stooped to becoming servants for you weaklings.' The wolf replied."

"'Weakling? I think I proved how wrong you are when you decided not to kill me upon my victory over the bear here. What is it you truly fear, beast?' Orik asked."

"Ninochka remained silent, wondering at the man's words, before he answered for her. 'You are a interesting creature. Powerful, talented, and yet you need only yourself. But you are not immortal, creature. You live alone and you will die alone, with no one to remember you for the life you lived. I pity you.' Orik said to the beast, who growled in response and lunged at the man…"

"Only for a boot to meet her snout and send her crashing to the ground."

"'I may have outlived my usefulness to the village, but I am still a man. A man who has tamed these woods and stands as a testament to the strength of those who remember the old ways. I am much like you, monster wolf…' Orik said to the white wolf, aware of who he was speaking to. Ninochka remained still on the ground, stunned that she had been stopped by such a simple attack. She lashed out at the man again, but found that a blade was now jammed into her maw, preventing her from doing anything else. Orik threw the beast into the snow and laughed at the beast, who lay still on the snowy bank."

"Ninochka continued her actions for some time, attacking the man again and again, but she found she could not lay a single claw on him. The man continued to talk to her, his tone never wavering as he spoke. Eventually, the man and the wolf both fell to the ground, exhausted by their long battle."

"'You truly are a monster…No, you are a true wolf. A predator with honor.' Orik told the white wolf, who stared at the man with a displeased expression."

"Despite this, she replied. 'For a simple man, you have a strength unlike any I have ever seen. I cannot best you…How do you do this?' Ninochka asked."

"'Come, young wolf. Walk at my side for a spell, and see the world as I do.' Orik replied, helping himself to his feet and beckoning for the wolf to follow. Ninochka hesitated, at first…But then found herself following the strange old man into the snow forests."

"Ninochka and Orik traveled side by side, from then on. The white wolf, who had been alone for so long in the forest, found something in the old man. A fellow hunter who was shunned by his own kind, but refused to bow down before any creature before him. Even her. She learned that, as a result of her defeat, she respected the man as a fellow predator. Over time, they developed a bond, and for the first time, Ninochka…had a friend."

"Orik, meanwhile, gained a travelling companion to keep him from being lonely. He taught Ninochka everything he knew about hunting and about the animals of the forests, things that would have escaped a beast like Ninochka. This knowledge, on top of her natural skill, made Ninochka a legendarily terrifying force to anything that crossed her path. Her legend was born then, from the knowledge that Orik had given her and her desire to protect her new friend from any threat in their way."

"Ninochka realized, one day, that caring for someone other than herself was not a weakness, but it was a great strength that gave her purpose, something she had always lacked on her own. She cherished the old man at her side, and he too, cherished her as a partner and equal to himself. They became the best of friends, both outcasts who found a better life within the snowy forests of the Motherland."

"Many years came and went, with Ninochka growing stronger with each kill and fight and Orik growing weaker as his body succumbed to age. Regardless of his physical limitations, he was still wise and to be respected. Ninochka helped care for him as best as she could, and for a time even the aging of her friend could not stop the pair of hunters who had become steadfast friends."

"One night, the pair of them happened upon a village within the snow. A sight familiar to the old man, who now had to ride atop Ninochka to get around. They now found themselves in Orik's old home, now a place that had long-forgotten him. Orik and Ninochka made their way through it, eager to continue their travels."

"However…This was when disaster struck."

"The wolf and man were attacked by thieves, eager to take the man's belongings and to kill and skin the beautiful white beast at his side. Ninochka attacked the man alongside her friend, but she even she could not stop them from shooting an arrow into the heart of Orik, who's life was extinguished before her very eyes."

"The men attacked Ninochka, who watched her friend fall to the ground, blood trailing for his body. She ran to his side, weeping and begging him to get up. She was then pierced by a blade in the side, and turned her fury upon the murderers, her eyes now glowing like fire."

"The rage of Ninochka had been unleashed, and there was no force that could stop it now."

"She tore through the hunters, shrugging off whatever tried to bring her down. After the murderers were slain, she decided that she was not satisfied yet, and turned her attention to the slumbering town. She would kill them all..."

"She sank her teeth into man, woman, and child alike, regardless of their innocence. She tore them apart with her claws, staining her white coat with the blood of those who had taken her only friend away from her. As she stood there, alone in that village, she howled…And became something more."

"More?" Leah said quietly, the first of the group that had spoken.

"More…She pleaded with the one who watches over everything, the great deity above, to end her misery. The pain of finding companionship and happiness, and then having it wrenched away from her. For her sins, however, Ninochka was cursed. She became the very monster she prided herself on for all time."

"Legends say that to this very day…Ninochka wonders the forests of the Motherland alone, awaiting new prey for her to hunt and unleash her rage upon. Her eyes are always the first thing you see…And then before you know it, it is too late." Nikolai rasped, a bead of sweating dripping down his forehead. The Russian than leaned forward and said, "There have been many, many sightings of Ninochka. She is, how you say, an undead dog who prowls the night with a thirst for blood. She will stop at nothing to kill those within her sights, slaughtering foe and innocent alike just as she did before. It is a monster unlike any known…And there is evidence to show that it is no fairy tale. Many have taken pictures of the beast, and nowadays my people can recognize the beast on sight should she ever appear again."

"Her eyes are unmistakable. Blood-red and wild, the eyes of a monster who hates everything. Awaiting a day for someone to put her out of her misery. Many say that she cannot be killed…I say that it will take a true child of Russia to do the deed. Someone who's will to survive is even stronger than that of the monster wolf, Ninochka…"

"That…is some freaky shit." Dempsey muttered, shuddering despite himself. There was something about the goofy Russian in their group telling a horrific ghost story while scared of the legend itself that unnerved him. The others shared a similar mindset, glancing into the forest for any signs of the monster wolf.

"Chert…I…I am tired now. I will rest." Nikolai said after a long pause, picking up his flask off of the ground and taking a very shaky sip from it to calm himself. The Russian then tucked away the drink on his person and curled up into a ball, much to the bewilderment of the others.

"What was that about?" Amy asked softly, worried about the Soviet's strange behavior and shivering slightly. The man in question had fallen asleep almost instantly, which was an impressive feat considering the bumpiness of their ride.

"For some reason…I get the feeling that it's a good thing that he basically runs on vodka right now. I don't think he can handle the weight of his own memories." Leah whispered sadly, watching the Russian as he slumbered.

"He said that he didn't consider Russia home. That he just had memories there and that was it." James added after a moment.

"He'll just have to deal with it, then." Dempsey muttered, sighing deeply. "We've all got our demons and regrets. Nikolai is going to have to learn that someday, you just have to face them head-on and stare them in the eyes. You can't let the past define you."

The group nodded mutely in agreement, save for Nikolai, who had actually been awake during that entire exchange and had heard Dempsey's words. It was easy for the faint-hearted American to say those words…He did not see what Nikolai had. Not endured what he had. The snowy trail that they found themselves on would lead to nothing but pain for the Soviet.

The Russian eventually did fall asleep as the group next to him chattered on about this and that, with Simon, Leah, and James taking watch in the back so that the others could get some sleep. Night quickly fell, however, and Dempsey and Takeo took the driving positions and continued their trek.

"It just…stopped working." Dempsey muttered, turning the car off and then back on again. The engine whirred when cranked, but otherwise was dead. The group began exiting the vehicle as Dempsey threw open the hood and was hit with a burst of gas.

"Hmmm?" Richtofen suddenly moved forward, brushing past Dempsey, who had fallen onto the ground and was coughing harshly.

"Element 115? Was it powering this vehicle or was it what stopped us?" Richtofen wondered aloud before girlish laughter suddenly filled the air, slightly distorted and sounding definitely twisted. Richtofen whirled around in surprise, looking around frantically as his face paled in horror.

"She's found us." James muttered, looking up into the sky as the laughter intensified.

" _ **Hehehe…Now you're mine!"**_ Samantha shouted as the air around them shimmered and contorted, sending chills down everyone's spines. The group could feel reality itself warping around them, to fit the whims of the monstrous child pursuing them. Each of the men and women felt their vision blur before them, and within moments they were falling…

And then they hit the ground.

"Wait, what?" Amy asked, looking around and staring at their new surroundings.

"Damn it…She's played us." Simon growled, taking a step back.

" _ **It's time to play another game! Hehehehe! What fun!"**_ Samantha cackled with glee as the group felt a strange force suddenly press down on them, suffocating them for a moment before it lifted.

"I think we're stuck in another one of those map things Samantha controls. Like the one back at the theater." James said to the others, drawing an M1911 and loading it. Their weapons were all gone, replaced only with a single pistol, a combat knife, and two frag grenades. James regarded the area they were in now and saw that the trees were suddenly closer together and much more numerous than they were before, barring their way for every direction except for the large steep slope in front of them. What lay below though, was obscured in a thick mist that slowly crept upwards.

"I do not like the look of this mist…But we cannot go anywhere but forward." Nikolai muttered, fighting the urge to shudder.

"Well…If that's the case, then let's see what the brat has in store for us this time." Dempsey growled as he walked forward and began sliding down the hill. A few seconds passed before Richtofen and Simon followed, as did the others.

Nikolai remained behind for a moment, sighing quietly as he looked up at the full moon and relishing the chill of the familiar cold of his cold homeland, not too far away. The Soviet then looked forward and chased his comrades down the slope, trying to focus his attention on something other than blurred demons from the past.

* * *

End of Chapter:

* * *

 _Guess what?_

 _Time for a new zombie map, courtesy of me. I'm hyped as hell for this. Stay tuned for more._

Q and A:

And I do wonder, will we be seeing more of that Anna?

 **Yes, much later down the road. She won't be a main character or anything, but she will actually appear in the story a bit later on.**

 _Alrighty folks, I'm done with this for the year. I'll see you all in 2017! Until then, please stay safe and have a very merry Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/whatever winter holiday you celebrate!_

 _If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more by me, then please check out my profile and go read "Pokémon Radiant Sun". It is, well…a story based on the events of "Pokémon Sun", and is a project I'm really interested to see grow. It's also a proof of concept for "Second Chances", which is a story I've been sitting on and figuring out for over 7 years at this point. If this story goes well, then "Second Chances" may well and truly happen at a later time. Again, for more info on all of this, check out the DOTD update I just did._

 _If you're interested, please check it out. I'll be updating it twice on my new Pokémon story before the end of the year. I'd appreciate any feedback and support from you all._

 _Take care, and Happy Holidays._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


	13. Goodbye

_Apocalypse: Shifting Shadows_

* * *

 _So you all probably knew that this was coming._

 _Try as I might…I'm too ambitious for my own good. It's been the death of me ever since I started writing on this site, and it's made me look like a fool each time._

 _Let's get to the point. Sadly…And it really, really sucks to say it…This story is dead._

 _Much like PMD GLD, this story has suffered some major setbacks despite how well set-up it was. Most of that stems from ideas that I've had being used by COD Zombies in some form or another. Rave in the Redwoods was basically what my next map was going to be, except with a more fairy tale twist to it. Revelations and Dr. Monty kind of ruined some of my head-canon stuff for the story. And while all of that stuff is awesome and I like it, especially the Zombies Timeline…It kind of just ruined the fun of filling all the blanks in myself._

 _The biggest issue on top of that how busy I've become over the past few months and me finally getting into the Air Force-_

 _Oh yeah. That happened. **I'm in the Air Force now.** I ship off in less than one month. Cool huh? I finally achieved the goal I've been talking about all these years!_

 _Back to the point. If I'm not able to update a story for months and months even if it's a shorter one, then there's an issue with my schedule and me being able to juggle multiple stories at once. Things aren't like they used to be back in college, where I wrote DOTD and Jak IV at the same time. And even then it was a struggle doing it. Things might be different in the AF and it's possible I could try multiple stories again down the road, but it's unlikely._

 _So yeah. I'm done with this story. Again, I am so sorry for this. I know there's longtime supporters who loved this story and DOTD, but I just…Can't. It's hard enough for me to keep one story going with all of the drama and nonsense going on in my own life. Two just makes things stressful and not fun. I wanted to make this update though to let you all know what's up, though. I owe you all this after everything you've done for me._

 _Feel free to add me on Xbox One if you feel like. Leave your Gamertags in the review section or PM me them and I'll add you._

 _Now, this will not be the end of me on this site. Far from it._

 _I'm still working on "Pokémon Radiant Sun", a Sun and Moon novelization with some darker twists and a new plot-line that compliments the original story. It may be interesting to note that this story is actually set in the universe that "Second Chances" is in._

 _No, I haven't forgotten that story. It's just a massive undertaking and I want to be sure I have the audience for it before I do it._

 _But yeah, Pokémon RS is set in the same universe as my ultimate dream fic. Vivian (remember the weird violin girl?) and a host of OC's that I've had in my head for years are running amok and having a grand old time. If that story does well, Second Chances is probably not far behind._

 _So if you're still interested in following my work, or have any remote interest in Pokémon or the "Second Chances" nonsense I used to go on about years ago, please check it out and show your support. It'd mean the world to me if any of my supports from my Zombies fics checked out my newer stuff. As much as I love COD Zombies, Pokémon is my favorite game series and I'm stoked to finally be able to write a serious story about it._

 _So, to end this note…I'd like to say you for everything. All of the love and support and everything, just…thank you. I'm sorry it had to come to this. I wanted this sequel to happen. The passion is there…Everything else wasn't though, and it sucks, but…That's life I guess._

 _Feel free to PM me if you need anything. Hopefully I'll be seeing some of you soon over at Pokémon RS._

 _Stay awesome everyone._

 _Until next time, FlygonNick out!_


End file.
